Saviour
by Nienna100
Summary: After a fight, Aragorn falls in love with Arwen, and Legolas has to fight to win the human back. Slash, AU, Aragorn/Arwen, Glorfindel/Erestor for a little bit of fluff for you and eventual Aragorn/Legolas
1. Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien, that would be a contradiction of terms. **

The door to Legolas' room bust open with a loud bang. Legolas dropped his book to the floor and leapt to his feet, out of his chair. He relaxed when he saw who it was. "Estel, what are you… Are you well mellon-nin?" The young man was trembling, pasty white, and his eyes were red and wild.

"No, no I am not," the human choked.

"What is it?" A hand on his shoulder, Legolas gently guided his young student into the room. "Please, sit." The human rejected the offer, and went to stare out of the window. "Talk to me."

"I can not," said Aragorn. His face was tinged with a cool emerald glow from the trees at the window. "I can not speak of it now."

Legolas paused for a moment, but Aragorn's back was rigid. He could not tell whether the tension was from distress or from anger, so asked, "Why did you come here if you did not wish to talk?"

"I had… to get away. You will not judge me, or expect what I can not deliver. You will not throw responsibility on my shoulders. You, at least, are my friend."

"So talk to me, let me help," He considered moving closer to Aragorn, but refrained: he had no idea how the human would react. Aragorn turned his face away from the question, so Legolas went over Aragorn's words in his mind. "Responsibility… Estel…?"

"That is not my name," Tears started to spill over onto his cheeks, "I am not who I thought I was."

"You are still the same person!" exclaimed Legolas. "You will not change."

"I am Elendil's heir, son of Arathorn. I have to complete a test that may claim my life," spat Aragorn, running a frenzied hand through his hair. The light glinted off a ring on his finger, one which Legolas recognised as the Ring of Barahir. So he had been told everything.

Gazing sadly at Aragorn's stiff profile, Legolas told him, "We have faith that it will not. I know that it will not."

"No one can know, no one. Ada's foresight can not penetrate the clouds of uncertainty. But you knew, all those years. How could you not tell me?" The human angrily demanded, "I thought you were my friend, not just my teacher, held under Elrond's thumb like everyone else."

"Estel…"

Bitterly, Aragorn cut across him, "No you can not call me that. I am not permitted to be called that. Do you believe me when I say that I believe he expected me to be pleased? How can I be? I have to risk my life, be wanted dead by so many."

At a loss for what to say, hating seeing Aragorn hurt, Legolas could only murmur, "I know, mellon-nin. It is not right, it is not fair on you."

"Everything in my life has been a lie. My own mother could not look me in the eye. How can I believe anything that they have said before? Even their words of love."

Legolas sternly said, "You can not say that. Every word of love, I know is true."

"How can you know?" moaned Aragorn, turning around.

Seeing his swollen red eyes, contrasting with his far paler than usual skin, Legolas could not help but take a step closer. "I know…" He realised then what he had not allowed himself to admit, the nagging thought that had tugged at him for the past three years, every time he saw Aragorn. It was love, he knew that he loved Aragorn. "…that I love you."

Aragorn's yes widened as he gasped, "Wha-" But Legolas stepped forwards and pressed his lips to the human's.

Legolas gently took Aragorn's face between his hands, even as Aragorn's mouth began to move against his. Tentatively, not wanting to scare him away, Legolas slipped his tongue towards Aragorn's lips, running it over them, asking if he would be granted entrance.

Suddenly, Aragorn pulled away, shocked. "Legolas… why?"

Breath caught in his throat, Legolas said, "I need you to know… how I feel… that these feelings will not change."

"Stop! Do not say this!" snapped Aragorn, fearfully backing away from the elf. "How can you…"

"This is how I feel, just how I feel," Legolas said, reaching out a hand, "Forgive me if I was too… forward."

"I can not deal with this, Legolas! I came here for peace, not more burdens."

"Forgive me," Legolas let his hand drop back to his side and turned away, blushing furiously. "Forget this if it helps. I do not wish for you to be burdened." He felt like a fool. He had picked the worst of times to give into his feelings.

Fresh tears cascaded down Aragorn's cheeks, and Legolas felt a physical ache in his chest. He had made Aragorn cry. "I can not forget," stuttered Aragorn.

"Aragorn…" Legolas started.

"I… I can not stay here. I must go," Aragorn interrupted, moving further towards the door. At the threshold, he paused and in a begging voice, pleaded, "Please tell me you have mislaid your sense… please, Legolas."

"I will not lie to you," said Legolas, bowing his head. "I can not help but love you."

With this, Aragorn turned on his heel and fled in a swish of his cloak. Legolas, who had not missed the mistrust in Aragorn's eyes, sank down to the bed. A friendship he treasured above all others had been severed by something as simple as a kiss. Nothing would ever be the same.

Slowly, Legolas raised his himself to look out of the window, and saw Aragorn running below him, lithely flitting through the trees. He was barely a shadow, and he disappeared quickly. To the emptiness, Legolas whispered, "I am sorry."

000

Aragorn ran, he just needed to get away, to clear his head of all the things he had been told. It was too much for one human to bear, too much responsibility on his two young shoulders. He had been alive for two decades, it was not enough. He was supposed die, but he was not ready to lose his life. First he had to live! But what was living? You needed a purpose, love, happiness, to feel alive, or so he had been told. He had a purpose - to reclaim the throne of Gondor – and apparently someone to love him, but he did not want to be loved by Legolas. He wanted only to be loved by him as a friend.

And what exactly was true happiness?

"Some would say that perfect sunset. Others, the smallest beauty, or the thrill of whatever excites them. Or indeed, the moment of true bliss with a lover," a soft female voice, that reminded him somehow of crisp, sweet apples yet the sigh of a light breeze, said from behind him.

Whirling around, Aragorn's hands flew to his sword. He had not realised that he had spoken out loud. But then, when he saw the woman, no… elf, no… goddess, before him, he froze. She was a vision, perfection in elf form. Long, silky black hair flowed in a thin, dark sheet, her pale skin was flawless, and she had a red flush in her cheeks from riding the horse she sat on. The blush accentuated her perfect rose lips. Her eyes were… entrancing, and they held Aragorn's for countless moments. He lost track of time in the perfect, hypnotising gaze. That stare, he thought, he would remember for an eternity.

It only broke when the she-elf tilted her head slightly, and chuckled, "I personally favour the latter option."

Aragorn had absolutely no idea what she was saying. Nothing made any sense anymore. It felt as though he had been placed under a spell, and he could only put one word to it. Love. Maybe it was time for him to grow up, and what better way than to have a lover? He was not in love with Legolas, but this woman… She would not make a relationship a burden; she would lift every burden from his shoulders and enable him to fly, to soar above all the lands. That was what he wanted, what he needed.

Gracefully, like a dancer, the elf maiden slid down from her horse. She walked towards him, and her steps were almost predatorily, stalking, proud, but making no sound. When she reached him, Aragorn, who had been paralysed in place, felt his chin being lifted so that he looked into her eyes again.

"What is a young, handsome man doing out here all alone? Where were you running to?" she asked, scanning his face.

Somehow, Aragorn felt intimately connected to the woman, in a way he never had before. He had felt a connection the moment her skin had touched his. Managing to get control over his mouth, Aragorn replied, "Anywhere that is away from here. I can not stay in Rivendell."

Sounding surprised, the woman asked, "What is so wrong in my home that you must flee It is the most beautiful of places." She smiled, "What is your name?"

"Es… Aragorn," he stumbled over his own name, and a blush flooded his cheeks.

"You do not seem certain," observed the woman.

"I know that. And what is yours?" Aragorn veered away from the subject and turned it onto the mysterious, fascinating elf-maiden.

"Arwen." The word floated through her lips, and rolled into his ears like a wave. It was the softest, most beautiful word he had ever heard. She gave him a cool, calculating look, and then held out her hand. "Come with me."

What was Aragorn to do but take the proffered hand, and let this Arwen lead him, out of the woods and back to his home?

"Look at the valley," Arwen murmured, and waved her spare hand across his eyes. "Do you not see the beauty Aragorn?"

It was true: Imladris really was beautiful. The light of sunset glistened off the white marble that was the uniform material across all of the buildings, and shined across the blue river that snaked through the land from the roaring waterfall. The water made the whole land fertile, and the trees looked like cones of emeralds.

"I do, I see all the beauty." But he was not looking down at his home, he was gazing at her.

"I was speaking of the scenery," she laughed, and the sound was like silver bells chiming across rippling water. It was entrancing, enchanting, like everything else about her.

"I was not."

"This I could tell." Smoothly, she leaned forwards, the dark blue eyes coming closer and closer until their lips met. Aragorn's mind went blank. All he knew was Arwen.

000

Legolas had to do something; he could not just stand there waiting at the window for Aragorn to return. It was too early to sleep, too late to eat… He decided to find someone to talk to, to distract him from his error of judgement. It was not long before he found himself in the huge library of Rivendell, where the books, scrolls and maps written throughout the ages were stored and kept in prime condition. And there he found Glorfindel and Erestor.

"Legolas!" Glorfindel gave the Mirkwood elf an enthusiastic grin, that Legolas knew meant he wanted something from him. "Come, sit, join us. Better yet, stay standing and convince my lover here to let me go and train."

From his position with his head on Glorfindel's lap, Erestor smiled and put down the scroll he had been studying, marking the place with a pebble. Legolas noticed that he was leaning back slightly, in a way that effectively pinned Glorfindel in place. At Legolas' questioning glance, the dark haired elf explained, "He must finish that report for Lord Elrond before midnight."

"Ah." That explained it all. The Balrog Slayer preferred action to paperwork, but his lover was trying to tame him into being a little bit more responsible. However, since the beginning of their relationship, the couple's friends had noticed the normally very quiet, very reserved Erestor start to become more outgoing. Seemingly not enough to let Glorfindel escape without doing his work though.

Groaning, Glorfindel went back to the piece of parchment he was writing on, but Legolas was very aware of Erestor's gaze still on him. He avoided his eyes as he took a seat opposite them.

"What is wrong Legolas?" asked Erestor, quietly. "You look upset."

Glorfindel looked up, frowning, and nodded his agreement. "You are right. And now that I think of this, why are you not celebrating with Estel? You are his best friend."

Cynically, Legolas snorted. "Es… Aragorn does not think that it is anything he can celebrate. And I was his best friend, past tense. And does everyone know?"

"What?" Erestor gasped, swivelling upright. "What in Valar's name happened?"

"Answer my question first," Legolas coolly replied. "I do not want to speak of my crime. I made our friendship shatter."

"No, you can not have done," protested Erestor, but Glorfindel cut across him.

"We were there when the Lord Elrond told him of his heritage. Not many others know, only about a dozen."

"A dozen? And you were there?" Legolas immediately appeared more alert. "Tell me what happened. Aragorn's account was a little… unclear."

Erestor took over, and quietly explained that Aragorn had just returned from a trip into the Wild with Elladan and Elrohir, as Legolas knew, and deemed it fit to tell him of his destiny. Aragorn listened open-mouthed and disbelieving and, once all was done, merely nodded stiffly and left the room, his face still, as if set in stone.

When the dark haired elf finished telling, Legolas buried his head in his hands. "No wonder he took it as he did," he muttered, half to himself. "Elrond did not have to break it to him like that."

"He took it badly?" Glorfindel asked. "He should have been pleased."

"Yes, he should have," a voice behind Legolas said. At once, Legolas knew that it was Elrond.

Whirling around, Legolas spat, "You told him he was likely to die! How is any young human supposed to respond to that?"

Calmly, Elrond replied, "He needed to know the truth." As ever, the Elven Lord stood tall and proud, dressed in the finest clothes. Elladan and Elrohir, his identical twin sons, flanked him.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Legolas asked, "Could you not have told him gently, in private, and at a better time, when he had not just returned form the Wild?"

"I can not dote on him forever. He is a man, he needs to face his world."

"You ask too much of him!" Legolas exclaimed. "You have not withdrawn your affection from your other children, why should you have abandoned Aragorn? He is the one with the most responsibility and –"

"You answer your own question Legolas. He has the most responsibility."

"All the more reason to help!"

"He will be alone in taking over the throne of the city of men, if he ever does," Elrond simply stated.

Legolas was struggling to see Elrond's side of things: the Elven Lord had not seen the pain Aragorn had been in. "You are wrong. The people who love him will be there, as friends and as family. You are wrong about all of this, and now you have driven -"

Elrond seemed to swell indignantly, and he thundered, "Who are you to question my actions? You have overstepped the mark. Aragorn was raised as my son, and he will do as his father says. His mother is not here. Who else does he have?"

"He has me," Legolas quietly said. "Or he did."

"You are a guest in my home, hired to help Aragorn when he was younger, and to protect him." As the second son of King Thranduil, Legolas had received the best of training, at the hands of masters. It had been hoped that Legolas could import this knowledge to Aragorn, and he had done so willingly. "You have overstayed your welcome."

Legolas could not believe what he was hearing. What right had he to send him away, it was for Aragorn only to judge. But Aragorn was angry and upset at him. Sighing his defeat, Legolas said, "Very well. May I stay one more night? It is almost dark."

"You may," Elrond said in a superior tone, as if granting the most gracious of favours.

Shaking his head, Legolas left the room. Behind him, he could hear a shocked Erestor and an outraged Glorfindel protesting on his behalf. They had been friends for a decade, the young Estel bringing them together. Though he was grateful to them for trying, he could already tell that it was futile, and maybe it was better if he left Aragorn for a time and return when things were calmer. When Aragorn was calmer.

As he trotted up the stairs, towards his rooms, he suddenly heard soft laughter, which he recognised, coupled with a female voice that he did not. "Aragorn!" He flew up the last flight of stairs, and swung around the corner, only to hear a door slam. The corridor he was faced with was deserted, but he knew the sound had come from the left hand side. He knew who those rooms belonged to. The whole left side belonged to Arwen.

What was Aragorn doing with the daughter of Elrond? He was not sure he wanted to know.

**A/N: Hehe, look, prequel. Firstly, ewwwwwwwww I just wrote Aragorn/Arwen. Secondly, I hope you liked it. Thirdly, reviews and ideas are very very very welcome. This fic won't be updated on a regular basis, like every other week or something, just as often as I come up with ideas for it. The sequel, Perfection, is yet unwritten but the ideas for the prequel and the sequel of hidden child are competing in my mind.**


	2. Messages

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien, that would be a contradiction of terms.**

Aragorn could not believe where he was. This beautiful woman had swept him off his feet and into her room. And her bed. It had, frankly, been the most amazing thing he had ever felt. But he had woken up feeling as if there was something wrong. There was not though, but he had dreamed… and not of Arwen. He had dreamed of Legolas, and that kiss, over and over again.

When he had woken, he thought at first that the slim body he had his arms around was Legolas, and that thought had made him smile unintentionally. Then the wrong feeling had set in. How could he feel that? He had just made love for the first time, to a woman, and he was thinking of Legolas. Not long after though, Arwen had opened her heavily lidded dark blue eyes and looked into his, and calm had washed over him. Everything was fine, and perfect, and he was loved.

"Good morning, lover," Arwen said, leaning over, and planting a kiss on Aragorn's mouth. Then she frowned and drew back, "It is light. What are you still doing here?

Somewhat confused, Aragorn asked, "What do you mean? I fell asleep, and so did you, and I only woke up."

"Oh," Arwen merely said, as she slid out of the bed. She started to dress and turned towards him after a moment. "Well are you planning to get up? My Ada will be along at any moment, and you can not be here."

"Why should I not meet your Ada?" questioned Aragorn. As he stood, he was assailed by the unpleasant feeling that things had taken a turn for the worse.

"Because no one can know you were here."

"Why not?" He started to pull on his clothes. "I have fallen in love with you. I want to sing it to the world." It was true; he could feel passion beating in his veins.

"You have fallen in love." For a long moment, Aragorn could only see his new lover's back, white and pale against the dark blue of the shift she was pulling on, and thought that things were bad. Very bad. When he thought about it, he had expected his first time to be gentle, tender in a way. He knew that he loved Arwen, and had thought she returned the feelings. The intensity and power of their love making had certainly indicated that, he thought. But then she turned around, eyes blazing, and exclaimed, "I thought it was only me, but I did not want to admit to it."

Aragorn sagged with relief: clearly she had been too worried and thought she would be humiliated. That was quite cute, he thought, coy.

Then Arwen continued speaking, "But you still need to leave before Ada comes. He is quite protective of me."

"Of course," said Aragorn, smiling sweetly. "Anything."

He did not see the feral grin that lit up Arwen's face.

000

Legolas had not slept, at all. How could he? Aragorn now clearly feared him, and had gone and found Arwen. That she-elf was notorious amount the younger circles of the higher class elves, as being hungry for me. She played with them, told them she loved them, and then used them for her own gains.

With Aragorn… she could become Queen. And then, if and when she dropped them, they were devastated, their hearts broken. Legolas could not allow that to happen, not to Aragorn. He had to warn him away, but he knew that that would be futile and damage their already fragmented friendship. He would just have to watch, from afar. Then again, afar meant a very long way away: he remembered that he was not allowed to be in Rivendell any longer.

He got up out of his chair, where he had been staring at the window, and started to pack up his belongings, before he went down to have one last breakfast in the feast hall of Rivendell.

000

Almost skipping, Aragorn left Arwen's rooms. She had promised that they would see each other again, and that was enough to make him ecstatic. He wanted to go down to Legolas' rooms, and tell him all about it – the elf was his most trusted confidant – but that would just be cruel.

When he had told the elf he could not love him, the elf had looked more miserable than he ever had seen him. For how long had he felt like this? It was clearly something Legolas had been thinking about for a while. But Legolas had known him since he was a child, there was no way he could feel that way about a childhood friend. Could he? But now, now there was Arwen.

Maybe he had overreacted when he had spoken with Legolas the previous day, but he had been emotional, and then the elf had just sprung it on him… He had not wanted to be told he would be likely to die, that he had to fight for his life. He would, of course, do what was required of him, but it did not mean he had to be pleased. And he would step up to the challenge of taking over the throne, but there would be death and there would be darkness even in that. It was just a matter of who the death and darkness was dealt to, and what would happen when it came to him and his friends.

He would speak to Legolas, and tell him calmly and plainly that he had somebody to love, and that he valued the friendship they had had for the past decade very highly, and that he wanted to remain friends. Legolas would have to keep his feelings to himself. Yes, he would speak to him during breakfast. AS soon as the human entered the room, he saw a swish of creamy blonde hair that could only belong to Legolas, leave the room. Aragorn was about to call out but the far door swung closed. He sighed: after breakfast then, certainly.

000

Having barely eaten at all, Legolas left the hall and almost immediately bumped into Erestor and Glorfindel. Both wore apologetic looks on their faces. Warily, Legolas asked, "What is it? What have you done now? I have to leave."

"That is exactly it," said Erestor sadly, "You have to leave."

"And it is what we have not done that troubles us," Glorfindel added, falling into step with Legolas as he started to walk towards his room. "For once."

"I do not do anything. It is always you, and I must get you out of trouble with the Lord – but that is not the issue to be discussed." Erestor spoke again, "We do not want you to leave Rivendell, Legolas."

"It is your home."

Legolas sighed: trust the two of them to make it so much harder than it already was. "It was my home, but not anymore. I am not needed, my job is done."

"Your job is not done," exclaimed Erestor, stopping, and, with surprising strength for an elf so short and slim, dragged Legolas to a halt. "You are a fool if you think so. Aragorn will need you to be his protector and his friend more than he ever has. He is going into the Wild, alone, he will not have the twins there to protect him."

Shivering, Legolas said, "I know this. I know how much danger he is going to be in. Do not think I want him there."

"Well he is going, and he will need help, without a doubt," Erestor repeated, his eyes glinting dangerously. "He is our friend as well as yours."

Gently, Glorfindel moved forwards, and placed his hands on Erestor's shoulders and pulled him back. "I do not get to say this often so I apologise if I enjoy it too much. Calm down Erestor, love."

Smiling gratefully, as Erestor pulled away, Legolas said, "I need to go home to my father, and get back to work at home. Aragorn has found a new best friend, already I am sure."

Momentarily, Glorfindel smiled too, "We are sorry to see you go, that is all." He glanced around curiously and asked, "Speaking of Aragorn though, is he not going to be saying goodbye to you? Have you not kissed and made up yet?"

"Less of the talking about kissing if you please," winced Legolas, and he moved into his room, which they had approached, and picked up his saddlebags, bow and quiver. He knew that the other two elves would not understand, and would protest loudly if he told them the entire truth. It was better to let them figure it out by themselves. "No we have not, and do not seem to be going to at any point, as I am about to leave."

"You will come back to visit though?" asked Glorfindel, softly.

Sighing heavily, as if this would be the greatest of trials, Legolas said, "Well if I must."

They continued on towards the stables in silence, until Legolas hesitantly asked, "Do you believe in soul mates, in destiny, that our true love's name is written in the song?"

Erestor and Glorfindel glanced at each other with expressions of bemusement, and Erestor said, "Of course we do. We know that we were made for each other."

The couple shared a secret smile, and then Glorfindel continued the conversation. "But why? Has our young Legolas fallen in love?"

"Yes, I have waited for the right person to fall in love with for centuries," He did not specify gender, because elves believed in love universal, and that mere gender should not interfere. Legolas hoped that Aragorn, having been raised by elves, would share those sentiments. "And I think I found the person I was made for. Only, they do not seem to agree." Expressing this was like a breath of fresh air to the elf: he had needed to get the thought listened to by a friendly ear.

"Do you intend to give up?" asked Erestor. "If you have waited all this time?"

"No, I do not!" exclaimed Legolas. "I will fight, make no mistake. I must first just wait for things to settle down."

"Good," said Glorfindel, with a satisfied look. "No love is worth anything if you are not prepared to fight for it." He slipped his hand into Erestor's, and, inwardly, Legolas frowned. He wondered what history there was there that they had not shared.

He was not going to question it though, for they were already at the stables. Glorfindel and Erestor remained outside, as Legolas went inside to retrieve his horse. Hanoni was in the corner stable, and she snorted impatiently when he entered: she knew that she would be going on a long journey, as Legolas had ordered her to be re-shod the day before. Moving forwards in a business like fashion, he checked the coat, eyes, teeth and hoofs for any indication that she was unfit to ride. Part of this was slightly in the hope that there would be something wrong and he would have to remain behind, but no, she was in perfect condition.

"It is just the two of us then, old girl, on the long ride home." Gently, Legolas petted the short, velvety hair at her nose. She really was getting old, already she was seventeen. He knew that he would be forced to find another horse soon, and hated that the horses only lasted for a fraction of an elf's lifetime. Hanoni had been his favourite, by far, for so many years.

Most elves favoured light horses: greys, strawberry roans, palominos, but not Legolas. His two favourite horses had been dark: Hanoni was pure, shining black, and her father was the darkest mahogany brown.

He buckled the saddle bags in place carefully, murmuring, "Meleth nin, you have become fat after such a long time in the comfort of Rivendell. Those daily jogs were not enough for you it seems. We need to run you around." Hanoni snorted and butted her head against Legolas' thigh. Sternly, Legolas chided her, "Now there is no need to be violent; it does not become a mare of your stature. Do you want to come back to Mirkwood with me or not? Yes, good, now stop fussing and we can go."

Knowing that he was talking to a horse, who, whilst being very intelligent, would not reply, Legolas swung himself up onto the horse. "Come on then my girl."

The stable boys opened the doors, and Legolas trotted through the doors. Outside, he paused to look down at Glorfindel and Erestor. Sincerely, he said, "Thank you, for being such good friends."

"You too Legolas, you too," said the couple, and grinned up at him. "Come back soon. Even if Elrond will not have you, we will. We always use one or the other sets of rooms now."

"Will you do one last thing, my friends?" asked Legolas. He had been struggling with the question internally for a small while and, when Erestor and Glorfindel nodded their consent, he said, "Tell Aragorn that I love him, and that Arwen will not change that. Nothing will change that."

Flabbergasted faces met this statement and, wistfully, Legolas smiled at them, and wheeled Hanoni away, riding away down the road.

"Oh dear Elbereth," gasped Erestor, as they were left behind in the dust. Glorfindel's arms were around his waist from behind, and he turned in the hold, facing away from the riding figure but facing his lover.

"What did he mean?" asked Glorfindel, running his hands through his hair worriedly. "What is the matter? I… Erestor..!"

"Use your head," exclaimed Erestor, and his hands went to hide his face, "Think of what he has said! Legolas said that Aragorn does not return his feelings of love, something about Arwen must have stopped him. And, ai kissing, something must have happened." Glorfindel could almost see Erestor's mind racing. "And we kept talking of Aragorn going into the Wild, when we knew that their friendship had been damaged. Ai Glorfindel, I did that."

"You will not have changed anything, melda," Glorfindel said, soothingly. "If anything you would have reminded him that Aragorn needs him."

"But I will have reminded him of it, and that would hurt him…" sighed Erestor, rubbing at his eyes to try and concentrate. "And now we have to decide, how do we tell Aragorn?"

000

They did not get to decide on a tactic – Erestor thought they should break it to him slowly, Glorfindel thought that they should spring it on him without warning, say it quickly – because two minutes later, as they discussed it seriously walking along a hallway, and bumped into Aragorn.

Glorfindel swore under his breath, but it was not noticed by Aragorn, who cheerfully asked, "Have you seen Legolas? I need to talk to him."

Fighting down an embarrassed flush, Erestor asked, "Did you not know?"

"Know what?" asked Aragorn, his voice light.

The couple shared a worried look, Legolas had not told the Ranger he was leaving, and Glorfindel said, "You should could somewhere private Aragorn. We need to talk to you."

"That is fine," said Aragorn, shrugging good naturedly, "But what about Legolas?"

"It is about Legolas," Erestor told them gently, as Glorfindel poked his head through the door nearest to them, checking for space.

"This room is empty," Glorfindel interjected, "It is just a lounge. Come in."

Wary and clearly confused, Aragorn followed them in, and took a seat, whilst Glorfindel and Erestor remained standing awkwardly. "You are going to tell me something I will dislike, I can tell," Aragorn coolly said, appraising them. "Are you not?" At Erestor's stiff nod, Aragorn sighed, "Tell me quickly then."

Aragorn muttered, "I told you," but his lover ignored him.

Taking over and ignoring him, Erestor quietly said, "You are right, Aragorn. You can not talk to Legolas. I am sorry, he has been sent away. He is going back to Mirkwood, he has already ridden out."

Aragorn's face sagged with disbelief, as all of the colour drained from his face, "No, do not say that. That is ridiculous Erestor. Everything that almost everyone has said today and yesterday has been ridiculous."

With more kindness than was usually ever given outside other than to Erestor, Glorfindel rested a hand on the young human's knee and softly told him, "We are sorry." Although they did not fully understand the situation, because they had only heard Legolas' side, both Glorfindel and Erestor instinctively felt that they gave more sympathy to Legolas. But they did not know why.

"Did he leave because he was angry, or upset because I did not return his love, or…"

Suddenly, Erestor interrupted, "It was not because of you, child, it was because his time protecting you was done. You are an adult human now, time to grow up, and fend for yourself." Glorfindel watched him incredulously as he spoke. "You have only two choices. You can either go out into the Wild, and help those you come across, learn to track, to hunt, to survive, or whilst along that you can go and find Legolas, and give him your message."

Aragorn stood, "You are right. I can not remain here, it is true. I will go, I will find Legolas."

"Good," Erestor smiled widely, and looked pleased with himself. Rolling his eyes, Glorfindel stood and discreetly poked his lover in the ribs.

"That was well done," he muttered, out of Aragorn's earshot.

"You do realise that I work with an incredibly stubborn elven Lord every day, correct?" questioned Erestor. "I have to persuade him to do things the right way every day."

"You do not use these skills with me do you Erestor?" asked Glorfindel.

"Oh, no, never," said Erestor, wide eyed with innocence. Glorfindel did not believe him.

000

In a mere matter of hours, Aragorn was packed and ready to leave, his goodbye to his father and brothers made. He had looked for Arwen in her rooms, but did not find her. There were only two people who were there to see Aragorn off: Erestor and Glorfindel, Erestor grumbling in an undignified manner about how little work he had managed that day.

The couple stared up at Aragorn, who sat proudly on his white stallion, looking down on them as if he already had the Gondor crown on his head.

Quietly though, he said, "I have a message for someone. Would you please be as kind as to deliver it for me?"

The irritated Erestor sighed, "We are not carrier pigeons. Have you not realised yet? It is the way I have a mouth, not a beak."

"Hush," said Glorfindel, and to Aragorn he said, "Of course we will. You are our friend and we help our friends." This last was directed at Erestor, and was spoken tersely.

Aragorn smiled, and said, "Thank you."

Before he could go on, Glorfindel quickly interjected, "We also have a message for you, but you tell us yours first, as is only polite."

"Very well. It is for the Lady Arwen. Tell her that I am sorry, so sorry to have missed her and to have ruined our plans. Also tell her that I love her, and that she is my first and only love. There will be no other for me. Not ever." Nervously, he smiled, "But please my friends, do not tell anyone else. That is in case the message gets back to her father, who, for now, she seems to want to hide me from. I fear he may be over protective. Now what is it you have to say to me?"

Glorfindel invented quickly. "Just a message from us to say good luck. The friendship you have with Legolas is a special one. You will not find a more devoted friend."

Nodding his thanks, Aragorn said, "Very well then. Thank you. Remain in good health until I return."

He rode away, leaving Erestor and Glorfindel to turn to each other open-mouthed, for the second time that day.

Erestor was the first to speak, "Ai, Elbereth, poor Legolas. He has little chance to win Aragorn's heart if Arwen has claimed it as her own."

"And poor Aragorn, torn between two people who love him."

Snorting, Erestor said, "I doubt Arwen loves him, and she has only been home from Lorien for a day. True love does not happen in that time, you do not devote yourself to someone who you have known for a matter of hours. Even if it is love at first sigh, it takes time to build up that level of trust two people must have. You know that if I did not refuse to speak ill of Lord Elrond's family, I would say that Aragorn is suffering from young foolishness and Arwen is being her usual enchanting self."

Glorfindel shivered. "I only hope that Aragorn finds Legolas and they start to find love. Legolas would be good for him." Worriedly, Glorfindel bit at his lip. "Did I do the right thing by not telling him Legolas' message?"

Immediately, Erestor said, "Yes melda. After that, it would have only driven them further apart. Without a doubt." He looked down what he could see of the long, winding, dust road, where the particles were still settling down form where Aragorn had ridden. "We can only wait to see what happens."

**A/N: And so must you my lovelies. Until I decide what actually happens next, as so far I am not 100 percent sure… So ideas are far more than welcome, they are practically dragged into the house. **

**Also, last time I forgot to mention two things. First, anyone wanna beta? More than welcome to, let me tell you. Second thing is Laurenke1, who I have to thank for saving me from many a writer's block, and, is who this fic was originally for. Because I did not push Arwen off the Tower of Ecthelion, in Hidden child, I put Lauren in as the OC who saved Rilluin, which is where I found the Saviour aspect inspiration for this whole fic.**


	3. Elves and Humans

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien, that would be a contradiction of terms. **

Cantering, pushing his horse as fast as he could go, Aragorn could only hope that Legolas would halt at nightfall. As soon as he was out of Rivendell, he left the path and headed into the wilder parts of the forest surrounding his home. Once before, Legolas and he had visited Mirkwood together, and had gone through the bush rather than following the path to keep any enemies off their trail. It was practice, Legolas had said, for when they reached Mirkwood and had real enemies to avoid. Aragorn assumed that Legolas would take the route again. Only last time they had been on foot, trekking through. This time, Aragorn had his horse, and he could see the marks of where another horse had ridden through, snapping twigs, a catch of dark hair on a bush, hoof prints leading the way he intended. Who else would it be but Legolas?

However, there was a problem with pushing his horse at such a fast pace through the forest. The trees were too close together for them to gallop, the ground was uneven so the horse had to pick its route with care, branches snatched at him… but Aragorn would not slow. Legolas had a couple of hours' head start on him, and although the elf would not be riding at such a desperate pace, it would be easier for his mare because of how little Legolas weighed and the lack of saddle. Patting his stallion's neck, Aragorn murmured to him, "Keep on going, as fast as you can, and I will not be disappointed. I have to find Legolas, quickly."

There was a time limit on his chase: Elladan and Elrohir were going to take Aragorn to the Dúnedain settlement where his mother lived when she was not at Rivendell. Aragorn had never been permitted to visit his mother at home, and as she got older she rarely visited him in Rivendell.

Sometimes he had felt hurt that she had given him up into Elrond's care, though Elrond had been a good, if not strict, father figure. When he visited, he would summon up the strength to ask why she had done so, why she could not manage to raise him herself as so many widows had to. As the future head of the Dúnedain, there would have been no limit to the number of male humans offering to act as father, in a Dúnedain camp.

But instead she'd chosen an elf…

Aragorn shook his head to clear the question that raged in his mind whenever he saw his mother. His thoughts wandered to what he was going to say to Legolas, without hurting him too much.

000

Legolas watched the way the fine hair of Hanoni's mane streamed towards him as she ran into the wind. It was almost hypnotising, the way it rippled like silk. He that it was ridiculous to be thinking about patterns that hair made, but he had to keep his mind busy, and away from the heart wrenching subject of his former best friend.

Instead, he watched the trees racing by, bright green and light bark blurring. At his pace, he would reach Mirkwood in about a week. Following the path through the rest of Rivendell would be the safest route, he had previously decided. Taking a horse on his own through the wilder parts would just have been ridiculous. He had no rush, enough supplies to last him a fortnight and even then he could hunt and find whatever he needed with ease.

With his horse for company, and the prospect of seeing his brother and father again looming, he would be fine. As long as he did not think about Aragorn with Arwen, or the reaction Aragorn would have to his words. Had he just driven the stake between them in further? Should he turn back and tell Aragorn himself, never mind Elrond's orders, should he..? No, there he went again.

Concentrate on anything but the human who always lit a fire in his stomach when he let his mind wander that way, and caused a physical ache inside at the memory of his rejection… Listen to the bird song from those that had returned from their winter migration. Watch the red sun as it starts to set. Feel Hanoni's velvety hair under his hands. Do not think of Aragorn.

000

When his stallion stumbled, Aragorn knew exactly what had happened, and winced as the horse broke his pack to a trot. "Where there, mellon," he said, and the horse stopped.

Groaning, Aragorn slid off the horse, and stepped back to gaze at the bay beauty. He glanced at the horse's front hoof, but already knew that he had thrown a shoe. Aragorn swore; he should have gone to a blacksmith, or checked the horse over properly himself at least. But then… It was not the horse's foot that held his attention. The animal's sides were heaving, and its flanks sweat soaked. There was foam at its mouth.

"What have I done to you?" murmured Aragorn. "This is just madness." He moved back towards the horse and began to unbuckle the saddle. "I have been cruel to you mellon nin, and you do not deserve this treatment. Legolas will have to wait, as much as that pains me." He placed the horse's tackle on the floor and rummaged for a brush in his saddlebag. "We have ridden for hours on a fool's mission. I can not be sure that he has gone to Mirkwood, or has come this way."

Rubbing the stallion down with the brush, Aragorn continued, "I will ride to Greenwood after I visit Naneth, and if he is not there, I will leave a message for him. But first we will rest, for it is already getting dark. And I believe I can hear a stream nearby, so we will drink our fill and then go home to Arwen. Does that sound better to you?"

The horse snorted his approval.

000

"It is getting dark. We should stop," said Legolas to Hanoni, and the mare slowed her trot to a walk, and then a stop. Legolas slipped off her, and brushed her quickly, before leaving her to graze. There was no need to secure her near him, she would not leave him.

He lit a small fire in the clearing he had chosen, slightly off the path. Watching it catch, he allowed himself at last to think of Aragorn. It was a beautiful, clear night, with the stars shining down on him, and he that the human would have appreciated it. Whenever they travelled, the nights were always the best. They would talk for hours until they fell asleep, about anything and everything. Chewing at a piece of bread form his pack, he could not help but wish that Aragorn was with him, even as a friend. At leas then he could watch those sparkling silver eyes, as they lit with enthusiasm about whatever their topic of conversation ranged to.

Sighing, he turned to Hanoni and told her, "If you hear anything, wake me." Some would believe that Legolas had gone mad, as he spoke to his horse, and Aragorn had teased him about it more than once, but Legolas knew that Hanoni understood a lot. How much, however, was debateable, but Legolas knew that, were something to creep up on his in sleep Hanoni would indeed alert him and defend him. She had done before.

He shivered, not from the cold but from distaste as a bat flew towards his face, attracted by the fire and the insects it attracted in turn. It was one of the few things he disliked about being outside at night. The small creatures just made him shudder. He pulled a blanket over himself and settled down for sleep. Only he did not feel tired, his mind was far too focused on anything but sleep.

Part of him wanted to leap back onto Hanoni and let her carry him back to Rivendell and somehow, somehow, find a way to make Aragorn love him. He had no idea how he would be able to do that, and he knew that he had to go home. His job of protecting the young human was over, and he needed to return to his father and brother… but if he had to choose between his family and Aragorn... no he could not think like that, because, were Aragorn to love him, he would be able to have both, he knew. As long as his lover was devoted to him, and cared for him well, loved him, his father would accept him or her.

Hugging himself slightly, Legolas knew that he had to go on, even if he did not wanted to. Although he had had lovers before, they had all been elves, both male and female, and none of them, he knew, were the one he was destined for. That kiss had been unlike any other he had ever had, even if Aragorn had been hesitant, and it was over far, far too soon. When he thought of what had happened, the hurt in Aragorn's eyes, he knew that the human would take some time to come round, if he ever did. Dismally, he curled up in on himself, wishing that he had the human in his arms, and tried to sleep.

000

At midday, the next day, Aragorn returned to Imladris, walking his horse across the ground to save him any more pain. He returned the stallion to the stable and asked for a blacksmith to attend him. As soon as he was done, he went to his room, washed and changed, and trotted down to Arwen's rooms.

Two guards stood outside her sitting room, and it made Aragorn frown momentarily, but they recognised him and waved him in. Aragorn knocked and entered, but stopped in his tracks when he saw who his lover was with.

"Ada!" Aragorn exclaimed.

Blushing ever so slightly, Arwen looked away from both Elrond and Aragorn, as the Elven Lord stood, frowning. "Aragorn what are you doing in here? My assistant told me that you had gone after Legolas, which I disapprove of."

"I returned, because I know that I have a duty. Legolas will have to wait; I must visit the Dúnedain camp first Ada. Duty had to come first," Aragorn said. He had practised that in his head, thinking that he would have to say it to not only Arwen but Erestor and Glorfindel too. Saying that he had run his horse to exhaustion and had been forced to return because of a thrown shoe was not very impressive.

Narrowing his eyes, Elrond said, "And why are you in my daughter's room?"

"Your daughter?" asked Aragorn, confused, "You did not tell me that I had a sister."

"A sister? I do not think of you as a brother. You are a human, no matter how highborn you are," said Arwen, raising her heavily lidded eyes, "Though you are the highest born human I could hope for. I do not love my two brothers as I love you. Please do not refer to me as that."

"You love him?" gasped Elrond. "What is this, peneth?" He spoke to Arwen, not to Aragorn, and the human felt irritatingly ignored by his Ada.

"Yes," Arwen rose gracefully and swept over to Aragorn, placing a hand on the human's shoulder. She grasped him tightly, almost possessively, and continued, "I discovered Aragorn when I was coming here, and we have fallen in love." She glared at Elrond as if he had already challenged her.

Quietly, Elrond said, "You have fallen in love with my daughter? After all these years you have found your love, in a human?" Aragorn winced at the distaste in his father's voice. "I wanted you to marry the highest born of elves possible. I have spoken to Thranduil of a betrothal to Legolas, if he refuses to let Laurient marry you instead."

"I do not want to marry either of them," said Arwen, but her words blurred as she spoke. Aragorn understood that his adoptive father would be protective over his daughter, and he was used to the preferential treatment. Aragorn was not chosen over Elladan or Elrohir, ever, but that was alright. He had not noticed when he was a child, but when, as a youth, he had paid attention, it had stung, yet as an adult, he did not mind. Elladan and Elrohir, and apparently Arwen, who were Elrond's flesh and blood would of course win over the human foster child… even if it saddened him every now and again.

But that was not what distressed him. Legolas and his brother had been approached to marry his new love? And he had never said as much? Aragorn had thought that they had shared everything, but apparently Legolas had been keeping a number of secrets. How many more would come to light? And even that was drowned in the wave of jealousy that swept over him. The overwhelming emotion was not just because his father was trying, without meaning to of course, take Arwen away from him when he had only just found her, but also because he wanted to sweep Legolas away with the same action.

Arwen's voice brought him back to the conversation, and he smiled at the words, "I want Aragorn."

"I know that you have your fancies, peneth, but are you sure?" Elrond questioned. "I do not want you devoting yourself to one human, particularly this human, who is so endangered, unless you that this is your love, as I knew that my true love was your mother."

Anger gave Aragorn a voice, "This human is standing right in front of you Ada, and he is your child too." Elrond turned his dark eyes to Aragorn, and the gaze made Aragorn gulp, but he continued, "And I know that you love her, I can see that, and I willing to devote myself to her, for all my life. I have never felt love like this, and though we have only known each other for a short while, my heart sings when I see her, think of here." Arwen's hand gripped him tighter than before, almost tight enough to bruise.

"Then I am to entrust my daughter to you? I know that you are a strong man, that you are passionate, I know this. But Arwen, you are willing to give everything up, your immortality, for one man, a human?" asked Elrond. For the first time in all the time Aragorn had known him, the Elven Lord looked shaken.

"Ada, come and talk with me a moment," said Arwen. It was almost an order, and the commanding tone continued when she added, "Aragorn stay here." Her skirts rustled as she brought Elrond into what Aragorn knew was her bedroom, and Aragorn was left alone in the sitting room.

Heaving a sigh, he sank into one of the chairs, and buried his head in his hands. He had not expected to have to fight for Arwen so soon, and that they shared a father, by adoption at least, had caught him off guard, certainly. Then, of course, as much as he knew he loved the she-elf, was he ready to devote himself so completely to one person? Once more, the image of her deep blue eyes flashed into his memory. Yes of course he was. How could he doubt that?

What were they discussing in that room? He wished he knew. Her giving up her journey across the sea? It was a huge commitment, and he could not thinking that maybe she would not have to if he died in the battle to become King. Then he would have love for the rest of his life, along with the knowledge that she could find peace beyond the sea after him.

Part of him could not believe that he, a human of only twenty years, was having to think the thoughts he was having. Yes he wanted love, he wanted to feel alive, but that did not necessarily mean forever, not with most people. But he had to have fallen in love with an elf… Their race was one of huge devotion, and he knew how seriously they took love. Had he not witnessed that first hand with his two friends Glorfindel and Erestor? Everything was about forever with the elves, yet he could not give an eternity to Arwen. No matter how much he loved her, he was only human. There was not enough life in him for an eternity.

The words Arwen had spoken had surprised him. To profess her love to her father when she had been so hesitant to do so to him? Maybe she had accepted the love... or maybe he would never fully understand elves. The latter was most probable. But h had been the one to profess his love first, and that honesty had made him feel vulnerable. All his hopes would have crashed down, he dared think his heart almost break, if Arwen had not returned his love The thought of that made him shiver; and then he gasped to himself. Was that how Legolas had felt just days before? And when Aragorn had denied him… from what little he knew of love an rejection, he could not imagine the pain that Legolas would have felt, only that he knew he would have hated it also. Oh Legolas, he did not know that Aragorn loved him still, just as a friend

At that moment, Arwen and Elrond return to the room. Warily, Aragorn stood to greet them.

Elrond walked towards him, and placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Take good care of my daughter. I am trusting my most precious thing into your hands."

"Thank you Ada," Aragorn bowed and Elrond left the room.

As he closed the door, Arwen almost threw herself towards Aragorn and into his arms. This was somewhat unexpected, but Aragorn just wrapped his arms around her. She raised her entrancing eyes towards his, and told him, "You are all mine now, heir of Elendil."

"And you are my queen," said Aragorn.

**A/N: Blergh, Aragorn/Arwen yet again. Shiver, canon is yucky. But I write it only so you know of Aragorn and Legolas' history. And so I know, as, you know, I'm not 100 sure yet either. Oops. Reviews and ideas much loved!**


	4. Families

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien; that would be a contradiction of terms.**

The huge gates to Legolas' Mirkwood home were intended to be intimidating, but for Legolas they were a welcome sight. After eight days of riding Legolas was exhausted, dirty, and feeling rather alone and depressed, although that wasn't much of a surprise. The dark, winding, heavily concealed paths through Mirkwood had an effect on people; they suppressed any happiness, made travellers paranoid as they got accustomed to constantly watching for some danger or another, and inspired hopelessness.

But now, Legolas was back home. When the doors were opened to admit him, the guards recognised the younger prince and bowed deeply. A young elf standing in attendance offered to take Hanoni to the stables, and Legolas accepted the offer with a smile of thanks. He would visit the loyal horse later with treats, after he finally took a bath.

Having requested food and hot water, the Prince headed up to his rooms. As he was unpacking the few personal possessions he had decided to take with him, someone started knocking on the door.

"Come in," called Legolas, and a moment later he found himself wrapped tightly in Laurient's arms. He grinned, hugging back, until he was released by his older brother. "I missed you also," Legolas smirked.

Laurient's eyes, identical to Legolas' own, having been inherited from their father, danced with excitement and jubilation, as he said, "There is no need to be sarcastic toron, and I have not seen you in a decade." Last time Legolas had been at home, Laurient had been away visiting friends in Lórien, much to the disappointment of both parties.

"It has been too long," conceded Legolas, and waved Laurient into the seat he normally occupied by the fire. "You are in good health, I trust?"

"Why would I not be?" asked Laurient. "We were not expecting you back. I thought you would write."

"I would have done," Legolas told him, with a tinge of sadness in his voice, "But alas, my departure from Rivendell was abrupt."

Frowning, Laurient asked, "What do you mean toron-nin? What happened to make you seem as distressed as you appear? And where is your young human charge? I wanted to meet him; you wrote so much about him."

"Aragorn… would not go anywhere with me, anymore. But I do not want to speak of that my brother, not now," Legolas quietly said. Laurient let it drop for the moment, though his fine blond eyebrows drew together. Abruptly, Legolas swerved away from the topic. "How is Ada?"

"Just fine," said a deep voice from the doorway, and the two younger blondes' heads swivelled.

In a flash, Legolas was in Thranduil's embrace, hugging his father tightly.

"You are pleased to see me then? Why are you here?" Thranduil asked, grasping Legolas' chin and turning his heart shaped face up to gaze at him. Sapphire eyes flashed at each other, both trying to analyse the other. Legolas broke away first, and took his seat once more. He sighed; he hated long explanations, but he knew that his Ada would drag it out of him, even if he had put off his brother.

000

The cabins, made of wood and roughly hewn stone, were clustered in the centre of a clearing that had widened by men. As they approached, Aragorn slowed his horse to a walk, and Elladan and Elrohir, riding on either side of him, followed suit.

Children rushed out of their homes at the sound of the horses' hooves, and Aragorn knew that the many hidden Rangers he had passed were following them. They wanted to see this stranger, investigate him, but they knew and trusted the twins and so therefore they let him continue on unimpeded. Aragorn knew that he was supposed to ignore them, pretend that he had not noticed their presence, but his highly honed hearing and sight enabled him to detect them. It was not enough to find hiding elves or to hear their footsteps, but he could almost find the Dúnedain. Normal humans, on the other hand, were more than easy to locate.

Ignoring the children that held up hands for small favours, the sweets or gifts that their fathers would normally bring back from trips, Aragorn asked his brothers, "Which one is my mother's?"

In unison, Elladan and Elrohir pointed to one of the huts, and Aragorn slipped down from his horse. The human rose pleading silver eyes, and Elrohir sighed, "Yes I will water him, and brush him down, and unsaddle him, but not in that order."

"My thanks," Aragorn said, and relinquished his horse's reins to the younger of his two brothers. The sterner, older one clucked his tongue and the twins slipped away.

When Aragorn stepped into the middle of the clearing, the women and men around the fire watched him suspiciously. Aragorn forced himself to be impervious to the stares. They looked rugged, their clothes threadbare, and their bones far too apparent to be healthy. They had sunk too deep into poverty, thought Aragorn; he would have to fix that. But instead of turning to them, Aragorn went straight towards the house he was told belonged to his mother. He had not seen her in quite a while. As he glanced into the darkness of his mother's open door, he wondered how she might have changed and whether she would see how he had changed.

"Mother?" he cautiously called out. The smell of the house hit him first, the aroma of food cooking. "Mother, are you there? It is Estel… or Aragorn if you wish." He dithered in the front of the house, but stepped forwards after his moment of hesitation. What was the worst that could happen?

A second later, he was cannoned into by a short, bustling woman, who squeezed his waist forcefully.

"You have shrunk mother," smirked Aragorn, to the woman at his waist.

"No, you have just grown," said Gilraen, drawing away, and then reaching up to pat Aragorn's cheek. "You look so much like your father."

When she said that word, every time, Aragorn thought of Elrond. The Elven Lord was his father, indeed rather than blood, and Aragorn was of the opinion that Elrond's actions mattered more than Aragorn's blood father, Arathorn. Aragorn had never felt Arathorn's care, or at least he could not remember it. But he would not ever tell his mother that. He knew that she would not appreciate that at all. Gilraen talked about his father reverently, making him a legend in Aragorn's mind, but, however cruel it seemed, he felt nothing like the amount of love for Arathorn as he did for Elrond.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Aragorn ducked his head and asked, "Are you well mother? It has been a few years."

"Yes, I am sorry for that. But you are here now," said Gilraen, and suddenly a frown creased her forehead. "Why are you here? You should not be here, Estel."

"I am no longer named Estel," Aragorn said, forcing a false smile onto his face. "I am Aragorn, as you and my father named me. I know now of the people here, my heritage, all that you never told me."

Gilraen's face fell and Aragorn immediately wanted to bite back the bitterness of his words, however impossible that might be. "I could not, I had to hide it. Lord Elrond said it would be better, you were to grow up as normally as you could –"

"As the one human in a colony of elves?" Aragorn incredulously interrupted.

"Please let me finish," said Gilraen, "As normally as you could, without that huge cloud over your head." She rose pleading silver eyes, identical to Aragorn's own. "Please, forgive me! I could not help it."

Those words struck a chord within Aragorn's heart, so similar were they to Legolas'. He had ruined his friendship with the elf, but he was not prepared to lose his mother too. Taking a deep breath, he managed, "It is alright, I understand."

"Good," smiled Gilraen, "Now come inside and eat. I have some stew cooking, and tonight they are cooking a deer they caught for dinner. You shall have a feast after all those days in the cold, my son." She glanced behind him, and called, "You may come in and eat as well, you two."

Aragorn turned and saw Elladan and Elrohir's faces split into identical grins. "Thank you," they chorused.

The twins preceded Aragorn to the fire, with the whispered words from Elladan of, "Your mother is the most divine cook."

000

With explanations over, Legolas found himself in Hanoni's stall, wanting to be able to have some time to himself, just to think on his own. That was the point of it all, to be on his own, and yet…

"There you are," said Laurient, and he dropped down onto the straw next to his younger brother. "I was looking for you." Legolas said nothing, merely played with the piece of straw in his hands, so Laurient continued, "You are brooding on that human of yours."

"Yes, I am," Legolas told him. He had explained everything, absolutely everything to his father and brother. Dropping his head down to rest on Laurient's shoulder, he admitted, "I am having difficulty stopping thinking of him."

Sighing, Laurient said, "You have to stop toron nin. If you cannot have him you must move on. You will destroy yourself."

"I do not care," Legolas said, twisting the piece of straw viciously until it splintered.

Snatching away the snapped piece of straw, Laurient argued, "Well I do care. I have seen one of the people I loved be swallowed by depression already, and fade to the ghost of who she was before. So has Ada. We are not going to watch you go through the same thing as Naneth." Legolas flushed, feeling ashamed for the issue being brought up. He had been too young to remember his mother fading away – until the day when she refused to open her eyes again - and often heard his father and brother talking of her, bringing up their memories, but Legolas had none. Laurient continued, "Please promise me that you will stop thinking of him."

"I cannot do that," Legolas told him, biting at his lip.

He felt Laurient stiffen with annoyance, "Legolas you must. There is no way that I will let you fade away over a single human child. You will not, let that be known, but I do not see how you will get him away from Arwen or make him love you. Not from all you have told us."

Banging his head against Laurient's shoulder, Legolas told him, "Do you think that I do not know that? As I rode, I even considered marrying Arwen myself, accepting Lord Elrond's offer of a betrothal to get Aragorn away from her. Only then I realised that I would not be able to have Aragorn for myself."

"Maybe all three of you should marry," smirked Laurient, his earlier anger disappearing since they had moved away from the topic of their mother.

Legolas poked him in the ribs, and joked, "Well you could marry Arwen instead of me."

Snorting, Laurient said, "You know that I would do all I could for you, but I draw the line at marrying Arwen Undómiel, and I have a lover. No matter how beautiful that woman is... from all that has been said…"

"I would never ask you to do that," Legolas whispered hoarsely, "Never. You would be ruined by her. So many people have been."

"I know Legolas," murmured Laurient, and got to his feet. "Come now, my brother. We are two Princes, sitting in a horse's stable. We have thrones that are far more comfortable, you realise."

Legolas smirked, getting to his feet, and said, "I do realise that they are not uncomfortable… but I am not the heir to the most uncomfortable one, so I do not have to pay attention."

Cuffing his brother over his head, Laurient said, "Nor do you have to pay attention to this Aragorn issue."

Internally swearing, Legolas argued, "I will not stop trying to get Aragorn to fall in love with me."

"If you…" Laurient started, but Legolas cut him off.

"I know that I am destined for that human, I know that I want him, and I know that I will not give up," hissed Legolas defensively. "If I start to seem like Naneth at all, tell me and I will try as hard as I can to find someone else, I swear." His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, "But do not try and stop me from making Aragorn fall in love with me."

Laurient studied Legolas' eyes deeply for a moment, and then groaned, "I have nothing but concern for you mellon nin, but I will stop talking about this for now if you met to."

"Good," Legolas said. After walking for a moment in silence, he elbowed the taller elf in the ribs. "So, you have a lover and you did not tell me?"

000

"You were right, my mother is a wonderful cook," said Aragorn, as they wandered out of the house, "I have been deprived of it since I was two."

"Clearly, the worst thing you have been deprived of," smirked Elladan, sauntering towards the fire at the centre of the small circle of houses. Elrohir placed a hand on Aragorn's chest, restraining him, as Elladan leaned over the shoulder of one of the men there.

Frowning at Elrohir, Aragorn asked, "What is this? Why am I not allowed to… move?"

"Just wait. Elladan wants to introduce you to some of the men, we must start to make you familiar to the rest of this small… family of sorts. These men are all related to you, some quite distantly though, but we can use the word family." Elrohir struggled for words, and Aragorn sighed.

"I understand."

Elladan brought over the dark haired, weary looking young man he had been speaking to. "Aragorn this is Ráhlin. His father was one of your father's best friends, and took over the running of this settlement when Arathorn died, only Ráhlin's father passed away six months ago. Now Ráhlin runs here for you."

Shaking Ráhlin's hand, Aragorn said, "I cannot thank you enough for doing that, and I hope that I can work with you here, to do my ancestors justice."

"I can already assure you that I know you will," smiled Ráhlin. His grip was firm and confident, despite the exhaustion in his eyes. "Elladan and Elrohir have spoken a lot of you the past few years. I know a lot about you."

"Should I be concerned?" asked Aragorn, trying to not be nervous. The twins could tell all sort of extravagant tales.

"Not at all," grinned Ráhlin, but after a second his face fell. "Unfortunately, some people are not as enthusiastic as me. Let me introduce you."

From her doorway, Gilraen watched her only child being led around her home. It was not his home yet, and she doubted it would ever be. Aragorn was too much of a wanderer at the moment, and when he was older – as Elrond had said in the letter he had sent – he would either be dead or in Gondor. And then there was Arwen.

Gilraen's son was in love, and frankly, Gilraen disapproved. Yes, the woman was beautiful, but all elves were. She had met Arwen once before, and could not imagine the she-elf settling down with Aragorn, particularly after what had happened only twenty three years ago. Arwen had almost thrown herself at Arathorn as well. Gilraen wanted to warn her son about the woman, but Aragorn seemed happy at the moment. As his mother, Gilraen would not break the brief happiness.

Not yet anyway.

**A/N: I know this is short, but I sort of ran out of ideas, and then, unless I come up with more ideas (or you supply them for me, hint hint) we'll skip all the way to September. So ideas are greatly appreciated right now. Much love to the people who reviewed. The smart ones among you would be able to find the deliberate thing that may seem like a continuity error, so I guess you can figure what happens.**


	5. Changes

Disclaimer: Not mine

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

A sunless summer dragged past, and turned into a cold autumn. Aragorn brushed the wood and brick dust from his hands, and stood back to admire their work. The long weeks had been spent renovating the homes of the Dúnedain in the settlement, so they would be secure and whole during the winter months, when the Dúnedain would be sent out on patrols for the first time under their rightful captain. Their wives and children would be staying at home, and their houses had to be secure. There would be no men to help them with repairs.

"This is perfect," he said, more to himself than anyone else.

"I think it needs a coat of paint," said a voice behind him, and Aragorn spun around, hands on hips.

"It does not," Aragorn told his mother. "It is fine."

"It is my house and I think it should be painted," argued Gilraen, mirroring Aragorn's stance, feet planted wide to show she wasn't about to budge.

"Tough naneth. We do not have time to paint a lone house. The other men are going to be busy stocking up the storehouse, hunting, and farming. There is not time," Aragorn pointed out, walking back with her and into the house he had just finished. The stonework had been crumbling, and he had helped to rebuild it. "I am sorry. I will paint it in spring if you like."

Gilraen smiled momentarily, but then a frown took over her lined face. "What are you doing? And the twins? You said 'the men'."

Aragorn shut the door before replying, "I have to go to Mirkwood. It has been far too long. I need to talk to my friend."

Sighing, Gilraen felt relief wash over her. It had taken a number of days, but Aragorn had admitted that Legolas had professed love for her son. She had always liked the blonde elf. He was always polite, protective over Aragorn, and she had seen the adoration in his cerulean eyes, even if Aragorn had not. It was not lust; she recognised that, but love. Pure, and honest, unlike some. "It is about time."

"Are you angry with me, mother?" Aragorn asked, scowling. Her tone of voice had been offensive. "I can paint the house if you really want me to. I just wanted to see Legolas." There were unspoken words, which resounded in Aragorn's head, clamouring to be set free: I miss him.

As Gilraen moved into the house, and sank into a seat, she said, "And I want you to be with Legolas. I had not brought this up because I knew that you were busy with making this settlement better and winning their hearts. But there are more important hearts to be won."

Aragorn's eyebrows drew further together at Gilraen's choice of words. "Mother.."

"Yes?" The innocence in Gilraen's voice and wide eyes did not deceive Aragorn.

"Are you trying to interfere with the perfect love life I have? Because the ideal scenario of my life involves Legolas staying on as my best friend, Arwen being my one and only love, and you approving of that," Aragorn bit out. "And if you cannot approve, maybe you should not speak of it anymore."

Gilraen stood, bristling irately, as she hissed, "You do not speak like this to me Aragorn. You may be the heir of Elendil, but you are also my son." She loomed over Aragorn, despite being more than a foot smaller than him.

Flushing deeply, Aragorn said, "Mother, stop, I…"

"Keep your arrogance to yourself," demanded Gilraen, "And I am trying to tell you that I do not want my house painted any more, I want you to leave. Go to your friend."

Aragorn's shoulders sagged as his fury flooded away. "I am sorry, I did not mean to…"

Gilraen interrupted, and repeated, "Go to your friend Aragorn. The friends who will stand by you through everything are more important than any lover."

Aragorn had to bite his lip to stop himself rising up in defence of Arwen, knowing that his mother was not in the mood to hear it. Aragorn turned and walked away. At the door, he hesitated and said, "I will see you soon mother."

"No you will not," Gilraen sighed.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn cautiously asked, turning properly to face his mother. "When I am done in Mirkwood, I will return at once."

"No, you will not," she repeated calmly. "You will find the men and help this world to get better, and fix everything with Legolas. You will not return until then. You will not come back to see me before you have made up with him."

Aragorn frowned down suspiciously at his mother once again, before saying, "Goodbye mother."

Walking out, he almost ricocheted off Ráhlin.

"Where are you going in such a hurry my Lord?" the man asked, holding up his hand to stead his leader.

"Mirkwood," Aragorn simply said.

Rahlin blinked at him in surprise. "I was actually making a joke. Please tell me that you were also."

Shaking his head, Aragorn said, "I am sorry, I have to go to Eryn Laglasen, and I have to make things better with a friend, but you and the other men are going to be fine. I want you out in the wild. You have learnt a lot from me, and I from you, and it is enough. The Dunedain are here to help, and so we shall."

"But we will help without you?"

"You will help without me for a few weeks, that is all, and I will be back," Aragorn promised. "And… keep an eye on my mother whilst I am gone. Also, stick to the schedules we drew up, so I can find you when I return."

They exchanged farewells and good lucks, and Aragorn moved over to the stables. The once rickety structure that had been no more of a roof on poles, with the occasional walls created from bales of hay, had been replaced with new stone and strong wood stalls, fit for the horses of kings. That was, essentially, what they were there for, and the hay was now stored in a huge shed, unless it was being used. For the past six months, his horse had been housed in luxury. Aragon supposed that it made up for his treatment of him when chasing Legolas.

Elladan and Elrohir were waiting for him with Aragorn's bags. They already knew that he was going to Mirkwood, and had guessed that he was visiting Legolas, but Aragorn had not told them anything else. He had not mentioned Legolas, their argument, Legolas' confession… he had not even mentioned Arwen again after talking to Gilraen the first day. They had only shared brief, distressed looks, and had not said anything after that.

Elrohir was holding Aragorn's horse's head, stroking the slightly nervous horse to calm him down. Gently, Aragorn took the horse from him, but sniggered when the stallion danced sideways at the movement, stepping on Elladan's foot.

"Ow, Aragorn," hissed the elf. "Your horse just crushed my toes." Aragorn saw him gritting his teeth, clearly resisting the undignified urge to hop up and down.

Snickering as loudly as Aragorn, Elrohir put out a hand to let Elladan steady himself. "Poor little Dan," Elrohir sarcastically cooed. Elladan glared at his twin, with enough heat to burn, but Elrohir did not flinch for a moment. "It was your own fault," the younger elf merely said, leaning coolly against a wall.

"Why was it my fault?" Elladan exclaimed loudly, making the skittish horse scuttle sideways. Trying to soothe the horse, Aragorn rubbed his nose, and watched the twins' banter.

"You placed the horse in a stall between our two mares after rebuilding this. Aragorn's horse is a stallion," Elrohir explained, as if speaking to the most idiotic of children. "Of course he is playing up, of course he is agitated."

Clearing his throat, Aragorn chimed in with, "Please children, we…"

Immediately the twins turned on the human, "Children? Children?" they exclaimed in unison.

"We are centuries older than you," Elladan said indignantly.

"We have millennia over you," Elrohir said.

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "And yet I am seemingly more mature than you. For shame, sons of Elven Kind."

"Leave us human," laughed Elrohir. Aragorn obeyed.

000

Legolas spent most of his time on patrol, as much as he could. The adrenaline, the many issues that had to occupy a patrol leader's mind, and the chatter of his followers kept his mind busy and distracted. Aragorn was a painfully insistent topic in his mind, but he did not mention it to Laurient, his father, anyone. He needed them to forget, to never bring up the topic again. It only made things more difficult.

A wedding was a safe topic, or so he had thought when Laurient had brought it up, and Legolas had decided to stay. Laurient had proposed in June to his lover, and would be marrying her in December.

"I must admit that I was thinking of white silk. It may be unoriginal, but it is a classic, and my mother will approve," Athilliet said, from her place against Laurient's shoulder. "You could wear it too, melda. It would look good with your hair."

And how good would it look on Aragorn… how good would it look off Aragorn…

"But surely we must have some colour," Laurient said, rolling his eyes. "We cannot have all white. What about the flowers, the decorations, the ribbons?"

Ribbons, flowing, tied to Aragorn's wrist, securing him to the bedposts…

"Any colour would go, and our rings are silver. Any colour."

Silver eyes, flashing with joy, sparkling with amusement, the silver pushed away by pupils darkened with lust….

Groaning, Laurient sighed, "Yet, you want me to pick one."

One and only one. Only one man for him, only one love…

"Well of course," cried Athilliet, "My mother wants pink to match the gown she decided upon before you even proposed. I would quite like green, just to annoy her. Light green of course. Or blue, but only if we marry on a day with sun, else it would look dull."

A room could never look dull to Legolas if Aragorn entered it, that he knew. That was the first sign, what confused him the most when he started to feel odd about the human…

"Why do we have to think about light colours? What about red? Crimson always looks good with white silk, no matter what the light. We are marrying in winter, remember meleth?"

Cheeks flushed crimson…

"I remember, but I did not want Yule colours, hence the light green. Legolas what do you think?"

Legolas jerked his head up, "I am sorry. I was not listening. I was off in another world." Most unfortunately. Fantasies were all he had, and he had a very vivid imagination, it was true. But, he would much prefer that the fantasies were in the real world.

"Again?" Laurient sighed.

"Again."

000

A fortnight later, Legolas was studying a novel in his room when his father burst into his room, making Legolas jump. Thranduil did not speak, just took a seat opposite Legolas, so the younger elf finished his page before looking up at his father. At once, he realised that continuing to read was a mistake. Silent tears were flooding down his cheeks, and Legolas' heart stopped for a second in shock. He had never seen his father cry.

"Ada, Ada what is the matter?" Legolas hurriedly asked, dropping his book and kneeling by his father's chair. Placing a hand on Thranduil's knee, Legolas shook it, desperately asking, "Ada what is it?"

"Laurient's squad arrived home today," Thranduil said slowly. "Only there were three members missing."

When Thranduil's voice cracked on the last word, Legolas knew what had happened, and the fear blocked his throat, choking him. It could not be. "Ada… no, please… do not say… please Ada."

"Laurient is dead, Legolas." Fresh tears spilled over from Thranduil's cobalt eyes, and Legolas pressed his face into his hands to avoid seeing them. He could not think, he could not breathe. He loved his brother; he had grown up with him, spent the first three hundred years of his life with him. He had not left his home until that time, and neither had Laurient. The freezing fingers of shock slipped away, and grief took over, bringing with it tears Legolas could not stop from flowing. "Where… where is he?" Legolas stuttered. "I want… I want to see him."

"You cannot. I cannot either," Thranduil said, trying to control his shaking voice. "They did not bring the dead. They had to leave to get the injured home."

"They left him?" whispered Legolas.

"And three others."

"They left him?" Legolas repeated more loudly. Brushing his tears away, and pushing his anguish down to his stomach, Legolas stood and said, "I have to get him Ada. He cannot just be let there."

"He will not be," Thranduil told him. "The uninjured members of the squad, assisted by yours, will return tomorrow."

Shaking his head, Legolas exclaimed, "That is not fast enough. I will not abandon him there."

Thranduil raised a hand to his forehead, and said, "You cannot, Legolas. Liand… Laurient had a dozen people with him and he was slain. You are the Crown Prince now. The people need you here Legolas. I need you here, Legolas."

"I am sorry Ada, I cannot leave him there."

"Do you think I want my son there either?"

"No, but he is lying there, rotting, and…"

"Legolas, please," cried Thranduil. "You have responsibilities now. You cannot go. I cannot let you go now too."

"I do not care Ada. I am going to find him," Legolas was already swinging his bow and quiver onto his back. "Do not try to stop me."

Thranduil sighed, "Make sure you come back to me, ion-nin."

"I will Ada," Legolas promised. "I will."

000

The other elves in the stables stared at Legolas as he sprinted towards Hanoni. "Come on my girl, we have to find Laurient. We have to get him back."

She whinnied as Legolas hopped onto her, and they rode away. He had packed food and water, and found out the sector of the forest where they had left the Crown Prince. The former Crown Prince. Now Legolas, in a similar way to Aragorn, had had responsibility thrown at him without warning or want. He had never even considered that he would be King. His father was the King of Mirkwood, and as an elf, the issue of succession was very important. If anything unfortunate did happen to Thranduil, Laurient would have taken over. Legolas did not care to inherit the throne, and never thought that it would come to that.

And yet… he was a step closer to the throne. But he did not want it. He never had. It also meant that he had to have an heir, as there was no one in line after him. And he could not have a child with Aragorn, unless… but no, that was almost impossible. He had to forget his infatuation with the human, for his country…

000

It was dark when he got to the site. The seven horses' outnumbered the three elvish bodies. No wonder they had been forced to leave the bodies behind.

Legolas gazed at them for a moment; only one was blonde.

"Laurient," sighed Legolas.

He dropped down from the horse, only the ground was further away than he had expected. The last thing he saw was walls, towering above him, before everything went black.

**A/N: cowers in fear If you kill me, there will not be any more updates. This chapter was slightly ficlety, but I had to explain time moving on. Review! See if you can guess what happens next :P**


	6. Lost and Found

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien, that would be a contradiction of terms

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that belong to Tolkien, that would be a contradiction of terms.**

000

Aragorn heard the involuntary scream and, although it had been very brief, he knew in an instant that it was Legolas. Wheeling his horse around, he said, "Go, Salile, go. That was my friend."

They cantered and weaved through the trees, towards the source of the sound. Aragorn could only hope that they would be able to find the elf in between the thick groves of trees. Abruptly, Salile reared under him and twisted to a halt. A blonde and two brunettes lay face down in front of him.

"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, swearing as he leaped down from his horse. He noticed the deep pit that his horse had swerved and stopped to avoid, and he made sure to keep his gaze away from it. He knew that what he would see would be unpleasant and he had the more important matter of Legolas to deal with. He carefully climbed down from his stallion and moved towards the blonde elf. He paused for a moment, frowning. Surely, this was not Legolas. Why had he screamed? How had he screamed? These elves… they were dead.

Hesitantly, he turned the blonde over, and sighed in cruel relief when he found that it was not his friend, though it was an elf who looked a lot like him. But, the scream… realisation hit, and Aragorn cursed: of course, the pit.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Aragorn knelt on the ground and peered over the edge. It was a trap; a deep pit that would've been covered in branches and leaves, designed to capture animals and apparently luckless elves for, true enough, Legolas was sprawled at the bottom of it. "Legolas," Aragorn called down, his voice echoing on the sides as he prayed that the elf would stir. "Dam it all to hell," he muttered when Legolas did not even twitch.

Intuition buzzed in his mind and Aragorn sprung up to work. He retrieved a thick, long coil of rope from his pack and tied one end around a tree, the other end around his waist. Then he lowered himself down, inch by inch, into the trench.

When he dropped the last few feet to the floor, he untied himself and knelt at friend's side. Gingerly, so that he wouldn't aggravate any injuries the elf might have, Aragorn turned Legolas up and cradled him gently. He patted Legolas' cheek, calling "Come on Legolas. Wake up for me mellon nin. I do not want to have to drag you up all the way there. Mellon, I need you to wake up."

The pale white elf lay there, unresponsive, and Aragorn ran his hands over him, checking his thin body for injuries. He had to resist balling his hands into fists with frustration when he found both a broken collarbone and two crushed ribs. The ridiculously light body had fallen hard. Each breath Legolas drew was ragged and harsh.

"I will get you home. You will be alright," Aragorn whispered, and delicately pulled Legolas up. One arm as tightly as he dared around the limp elf, he began to climb the rope. His muscles burned with the effort of dragging himself up the vertical wall with one hand.

He was gasping almost as much as the elf when he got to the top and cautiously placed the elf on Salile, then got on behind him. Holding Legolas upright, supporting him, Aragorn rode on fast as he dared.

000

People were crowding around him, tugging at Aragorn, all trying to help and all trying to catch a glimpse of their Prince for themselves. Aragorn ignored them as he slipped down from his stallion. He carefully guided Legolas into his arms as he did so. As soon as the elf was secure, Aragorn pushed his way through the crowds, sheltering the blonde elf with his own body. It was strange, to him, to be taking care of the other. He was usually the one being cared for, since he was human, and therefore frailer and far more prone to disease and disabling accidents.

"Excuse me, excuse me, let me through, make way," he ordered, barging through as forcefully as he dared.

"Where is my son? Where is my child?" exclaimed a voice rough laden with emotion.

Aragorn headed towards the voice. "Thranduil, sire, here. He is here."

Frantically darting blue eyes met his, and Thranduil lifted Legolas from him. "Oh my son."

"Carefully, carefully. He is injured, there are broken bones. There may even be a collapsed lung, internal bleeding… A fall from that height…" Aragorn spouted off as Legolas was taken from him.

He raced after the rapidly marching King, though he glanced behind to see his horse being led away. The Healers were waiting for them when they stepping into the Healing Wing. Thranduil placed Legolas on one of the beds, and Healers gathered around the Prince. They ripped open his tunic and shirt. The elf's chest and stomach was covered in dark bruises, so many that the normally creamy white skin had turned entirely black and blue. Aragorn smothered a gasp.

Different Healers spoke from around the bed; "A broken rib."

"Fractured collarbone."

"Another broken rib."

"Collapsed lung."

"Novice Healer, find pain medication."

"Make some anti-inflammatory drink for when he wakes."

"…Poultices…"

"…Bind that…"

"…We should…"

"…Do not…"

"…Get the family out…"

A Healer each took Aragorn and Thranduil into a private waiting room where they sat opposite each other. Head in hands, Aragorn tried not to let his panic take over, and only looked up when Thranduil said, "Thank you for bring my son back to me. I begged him not to leave. Not after Laurient…"

"What do you mean? What happened to Laurient? He was… Legolas' brother," Aragorn said, trying to have some control over his voice. The last time he had seen Legolas, they had argued, it had been months ago. What happened if the elf did not wake up? How could he even let himself think that?

"Laurient… was killed. Legolas went to try and bring back his body," Thranduil bleakly said, and Aragorn blinked when he realised that everyone had been clothed in black apart from the Healers, Thranduil looked almost vampire like, with his white skin, his crow like robes.

"Ai Valar," gasped Aragorn suddenly, realising the body he had turned over and then left was Legolas' brother. "I am sorry, so sorry."

"So everyone has said. Actually, everyone."

Aragorn blushed and an awkward silence took over.

000

"We are just waiting for him to wake. We kept him asleep so we could re-inflate his lung, which worked. You can go and wait for him to get up." The voice jerked Aragorn from his daze, and he looked up to the Healer.

"I can not, I have to arrange a funeral," Thranduil almost growled in frustration. "I just needed to know he would be alright. My advisors will be screaming."

"I will," Aragorn immediately stated. "I will stay with him for as long as it takes."

"I am not sure I want him waking up to find Aragorn so of Arathorn staring down at him, not after all you have said to him." At Aragorn's start at his name, Thranduil continued, "Yes I remember you, yes I know you, yes he told me of you."

Startled, Aragorn thought rapidly, and all he could think of to say was, "I love him, Elbereth knows I do, but only as a friend. I will not do anything more to jeopardise that I swear. I swear on everything."

Thranduil smirked, "You have rash words young human. Legolas has more often that not asked irrationally. Maybe that is why he likes you."

"Not my good luck?" asked the falsely sulky human, and the forced humour worked it seemed, for the King smiled slightly.

"Just do not hurt him. He is my son and I love him more than anything left in this world. If I cannot force you to love him, at least give him a chance and at least… let him down gently when he talks of this next time."

"Yes, sire," Aragorn said.

He stepped into the hospital room, and a Novice Healer led him into a small, dark room. Shivering ever so slightly, Aragorn spoke to the Healer, saying, "Could we get a fire going in that grate please, and some candles? You elves may have perfect night vision and almost no heat sensitivity, but I do not."

The Healer covered a smile at the human, but left to do his bidding anyways. Whilst he was gone, Aragorn took the seat by Legolas' head and watched the still elf. Pillows had been placed behind Legolas to hold him up and assist with his breathing. He was still breathing heavily, but Aragorn thought that that was more likely to be caused by pain than the lung still being damaged.

Around him, yellow light began to warm the room, as Aragorn gently brushed a strand of hair away from the elf's white face. Although Legolas' skin looked as if it was made of alabaster, it was a soft as velvet. The human was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to kiss that perfect, unblemished warm skin, and the moment the door clicked closed after the Novice, Aragorn swooped down and pressed his lips to the cheek.

He pulled away abruptly when he realised what he had done and, flushing, looked around. There was no one there to witness his sin, just four walls, no window for accusing eyes to peer through… He was safe, he was fine. He breathed a sigh of relief and settled in for the long wait.

000

Fingers stroked his hair, summoning him back to consciousness gradually, and Aragorn gave in to them, opening his eyes. When he realised who it was combing through his hair, he gasped and sat up straight.

"Legolas, you are awake. I have been waiting for you," he exclaimed.

Legolas gave a weary smile, "If only that were true I would be a happy elf. But I know you will not be there when I wake."

"Yes, yes I will, of course I will. I am here, right next to you," the frowning Aragorn said.

"You are just a dream. You are always just a dream. Always." Then Legolas winced. "Why does this dream hurt?"

His breathing started to increase, and confusion and pain made his face crumple. "Hush, Legolas, it is alright." Aragorn handed two glasses to the elf and murmured, "Here. You must drink these and I promise you will feel better mellon nin. The Healers left them for you."

Legolas gulped them down rapidly, eyes wide in fright. "What happened to me?" Before Aragorn could answer, Legolas continued, "I hate the inconsistencies of dreams. You can not be here, you will not be here when I wake, and nothing makes sense."

Clearly seeing the grimace Legolas' face when he spoke, Aragorn hastened to calm him. "Legolas, listen to me. I will be here when you wake because you are awake. I am going to stay here for as long as you want and everything will make sense to you before long. You hit your head when you fell."

"Why do you torment me with what I can not have," Legolas cried, "Why must I dream of you every time I lay my head down? Why did you reject me? What is it that I did wrong? Why?"

"Legolas, mellon… you have it wrong."

"I am wrong to love, I know, I know," exclaimed Legolas. "Why me? Can you not just leave me alone?"

Cautiously, Aragorn stood, "Would you like me to leave? You should be calm and resting, and you are clearly neither. You are agitated in my presence and I should so remove myself from yours."

"No," Legolas softly cried out. "Do not abandon me again. If I can only have in dream, then so be it."

Aragorn sighed, giving up, and took a seat next to Legolas on the bed, stretching out his legs.

"I want to hold you but find that I cannot. My arm is bound," Legolas said.

"You do not need to hold me down. I will not fly away. But if you rest your head on my shoulder here you can assure yourself that I will not be able to leave without you being alerted. Is that better?" Aragorn whispered.

"Much," Legolas replied.

000

Legolas awoke to a soft hum of voices, and a warm body behind him. His eyes fluttered open, and Thranduil looked down at him, smiling.

"Good morning, ion nin," he murmured, "How do you feel?"

"Urgh," was Legolas' only groggy reply.

"You have had a concoction of pain of pain medication dripped down your throat." At that voice, everything came flooding back, and Legolas gasped, sitting up.

"Ow," he cried, falling back down onto Aragorn's chest.

"Try not to move around so much," Aragorn said from behind. "You fell a long way onto a hard surface."

Legolas did not know how to reply. He was very aware of Aragorn's body against his, the arm looped around his waist, the hand splayed on his stomach, burning through his clothes. He could not think whilst the movement of the human's chest, rising and falling in time with his own, moved him fractionally up with every inhalation, and down with every exhalation.

Choking slightly, he said, "Aragorn, may I have a moment alone with my father please?"

"Of course." Carefully, Aragorn slipped out of the room, leaving the two elves alone.

"Atar, what is he doing?" Legolas hissed, though they were alone. "I thought I was only dreaming last night and… I said things that I would never say had I my wits about me. I have… more pride that that."

"Aragorn did not mention it to me," Thranduil assured, "And as he said, the amount of medicine in your system you can excuse anything, and he will have. As for his presence, he was the one who brought you here. He found you and he saved you."

"This is so humiliating," Legolas muttered into his one available hand.

"Now, Legolas, pull yourself together. You have a choice here. Either you continue expressing your love as you have been and hope your human comes around… or you back away. He is still young; he needs to grow up still."

"He is a man, I at least can see that," Legolas mumbled, "Ai Atar, my head hurts… everything hurts. I know that I want Aragorn, that we belong together. I know this Atar, do not ask me how. But we do."

Thranduil could only sigh. "Legolas, I do not know how to help you ion nin. I do not know how you will be able to woo him, I really do not."

"Me neither," sighed Legolas, settling down onto his pillow. "I just want to sleep."

"With him," Thranduil could not help but jibe. At Legolas' glare, he smiled and murmured, "Very well, you sleep. I will keep him away. You can have time to think and to sleep."

000

Aragorn was waiting outside the room for Thranduil when he emerged.

"May I go back to him?"

"No, he is sleeping."

"I will be very quiet," Aragorn promised.

"I know, he will not hear you at all. Because you will not be in there. You are coming with me," Thranduil instructed.

"Where?" Aragorn asked, though he followed Thranduil out of the Healing Wing. They walked in silence, Thranduil leading the human.

They stopped after walking for five minutes and Aragorn was waved into a wide hallway. "This is our family gallery. We have a cacophony of artists here that we commissioned to paint features of the kingdom and… our family portraits."

"And why am I here, if you do not mind me asking?" Aragorn softly asked.

"Our family portrait. We do not have many family members, as elves. So there are only three group paintings here." Thranduil stopped walking outside one painting and gazed up at it. It was of Legolas and Laurient on either side of Thranduil. Aragorn smiled up at it, the resemblance between them all was striking, but the smile slid off him when the Elven King said, "This is the only picture of my children together. They were inseparable when they were young."

"I know, he told me as much. He has told me a lot about himself over the eleven years we have known each other," Aragorn told him.

"Indeed," Thranduil said. "But aside from that, my son has been through a lot. He has lost his brother, he is hurting both inside and out. If you must stay here…"

"I must. It would hurt him more if I leave, I think. I want to be friends with him again. I want us to go back to normal."

"Well, yes," Thranduil said, and continued, "If you must stay here. I have rules for you."

"Anything if you will let me see him. He is my best friend. Or at least… he was."

"He will continue to be. Because he loves you he will be more devoted to you than anyone else could ever be," Thranduil said. "But my rules. You will not talk about love, you will act exactly as you did before he told you how he felt and you will care for him. You must value him above anything else in this Kingdom, as he values you above anything else."

"Of course, I promise." He had wanted to make up with the elf, and he would do everything he could to make things right… Well almost everything…

Thranduil glanced up at him, calculatingly. "Very well. And if you do not obey these rules, you should know that I would not hesitate to throw you out of my kingdom. I like you, but I love my son far more than you. I will not have him hurting."

"I promise."

000

Legolas was still sleeping when Aragorn returned. He had a grimace on his face, and Aragorn had to stifle the urge to caress it, make things better for his friend. But no, he had to think of Arwen. He belonged to her. Legolas would have to stay as his best friend, and Aragorn would be there for him as friends were.

Aragorn would help to clear Legolas' head, he would help him deal with the loss of his brother, and hopefully, when that was done, he would try to help rescue Legolas from that infatuation with him. Maybe then, things could return to normal.

000

**A/N: I have been on an utter writing spree the past few days. Hope you liked it. If you did, the greatest thing you could do for me is press that little 'go' button and leave me a review.**


	7. Breaking Promises

Disclaimer: Not mine

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Never has been. Understand.**

It was an impatient wait for Aragorn whilst Legolas slept. He had come to make up with his friend, to tell him that friends was all they would ever be, but now it seemed he was banned from doing that. He was not allowed to discuss his feelings. Eventually though, Legolas' azure eyes fluttered open and met his with a delighted smile that set his heart aglow. Already he was looking better, healthier, a warm flush in his alabaster cheeks, and his eyes were bright.

"You are still here," Legolas said, sitting up to look around at him. His smile faltered for a moment, his face forming a grimace as he moved.

"Here, let me help you," Aragorn muttered, holding out his hands, but Legolas shook his head.

"I am fine." The elf faced another smile onto his face, and though he was sitting up, he leant back against the pillows again. The colour that had been in his cheeks had drained away.

Feeling rejected at the dismissal, Aragorn crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in his chair. "How are you feeling? You should not be in pain, not after all those concoctions the Healers gave you."

"No pain," Legolas told him. "Just a little discomfort. But I am all bandaged up. It is well."

"Alright." Aragorn cast his mind back, searching for something to say. The tension in the air was thick. "You seem surprised that I am still here Where did you expect me to go?"

"Home to your father perhaps? Or back to the people who need you," sighed Legolas, looking away from the human uncomfortably.

"You do not need…" Aragorn swallowed, knowing that question would not be wise. "I wanted to be here when you woke up again. I thought you might want me to be here too. Your statements last time we spoke indicated that at least." That was his first mistake, first broken promise.

"I do not… need you as such," Legolas' forehead was creased, as if he was searching for the right words. "My heart needs you that is true, and my body desires you as my mind wants you. But I will not lower myself to begging for your company. You must be away, you must be working for the people who need you to save their lives. I assume that is where you have been the past six months. I had to hope it was not you purely avoiding me because I had driven you away."

"No, no, no," gasped Aragorn. "I did have a duty: I was with the Dúnedain, learning and teaching and… accepting my responsibility to the people of those lands as much as I can. On my own. I had no help from… from my best friend in that, for he left the day after we had an argument." Thranduil was going to kill him.

A sad smile slipped onto Legolas' pasty face. "He did not do that by his own choice. He would not. He loved his best friend too much for that. He would have helped, he would have loved him unconditionally." Aragorn moved his gaze away, looking anywhere but at the elf as Legolas studied the flushed face. "You have not washed or changed since you arrived, have you?" His eyes studied the weather-stained, rugged clothes, the dirty hair, the smudges on his skin. "I am surprised the Healers allowed you in here looking like that. You should go. Wash, find some clean clothes and eat. Then… if you… feel free to… come back to me."

Aragorn nodded as he stood. "I will. I will come back."

He left the elf on his own, and the moment the door slammed closed, the tears that had been threatening to well over swelled and overflowed. Not one gesture of love, not a lot of friendship – his fears that he had damaged the friendship that were seemingly true – few kind words, just the accusations that stuck in Legolas' mind. He did not need anymore sorrow. He missed Laurient: Laurient would have known what to do, Laurient would have brushed away his tears, Laurient would have held him. Because Laurient had loved him as any brother would. But Legolas did not want a brother's love now, however much he wanted Laurient back He wanted a lover. He wanted Aragorn as a lover.

Soft but firm hands were placed no him, one each on his back and on his shoulder. He dared to hope. "Aragorn?" But he raised his eyes to an elf, young and dressed in Healers' clothes.

"I am sorry no," the young dark haired elf, with a sweet smile, said, "Aragorn is the young human who was here before, was he not? Would you like me to find him for you? My Lord set up rooms for him in the East Wing, I was told."

"No, thank you," muttered Legolas. "I apologise."

The elf scanned Legolas' face and softly said, "I can not help but notice – you have been crying. Are you in pain?"

"Only in my heart," sighed Legolas.

"Is there any way that I can help?"

"No, I do not think so."

"Alright." There was a another smile in return, and then the elf said, "I have been sent to check on you and check on your bandages. Do you mind my Lord?"

"Not at tall," Legolas replied. He could not help but return the smile as the Healer helped him sit up and take his shirt off. As one of his arms was bound against his chest to keep his cracked collar bone set in place, half of his shirt was just tugged over that arm. With warm, gentle hands, the elf tested the swollen, bruised skin around the bandages.

"Does this hurt?" asked the elf as he tested it.

"Only when it is touched, or I move," smirked Legolas. "If I stay perfectly still, I am perfect."

"Ah," the elf stood and said, "I will return in just a few moments. We have made fresh bruise balm, only yesterday. It should help cool the pain."

He walked towards the door, but stopped at Legolas' call. "What is your name?"

"Cithan my Lord," was his only reply as he left the room.

000

Aragorn shook his head to get the water from his ears, spraying droplets of water from his hair everywhere. He was clean, wearing fresh clothes, and had requested food to be brought to the rooms. As far as he knew, Legolas had not eaten since Laurient's death, and would need his strength back.

He knocked on the door lightly, and entered, but stopped at the entrance at the sight that met his eyes. Legolas was lying there, half naked, a strange expression of pleasure wiping away the lines on his face, as an elf Aragorn did not recognise rubbed a clear liniment onto the mottled, bruised flesh. After a moment of both elves not noticing him, Legolas finally opened his eyes and met his. "What are you just standing there for Estel? You are letting the cold in."

"Erm… I apologise," stammered the human, stepping in and closing the door. "I did not want to be interrupting anything."

"What would you be interrupting?" asked Legolas, eyebrows raised. "This is Cithan, Aragorn, and Cithan this is Aragorn. Cithan is a Healer, and clearly going to be a good one judging by the miraculous hands he seems to possess." Aragorn felt a sudden burning stab of jealousy.

Cithan ducked his head at the compliment and then offered a hand to Aragorn to shake. The human raised his eyes at the sticky mess on the elf's hand and, blushing, Cithan pulled his hand away. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Think nothing of it," Aragorn replied, sitting down on the seat by Legolas. "I asked for meals to be brought here."

"Ah. Cithan has already done the same thing," Legolas said with a smile at the elf.

Glancing tersely between Aragorn and Legolas, Cithan said, "I have another patient to attend to. If you do need assistance or… anything, just call for me and I will come. I am only in the next room."

"Thank you," Legolas said, and his eyes followed the elf as he left.

"You are fickle Legolas," Aragorn coldly said. "Already you have moved on."

Legolas smirked humourlessly. "I have loved you for three years Aragorn. This is hardly a passing fancy I have for you." One handed, he began to pull his shirt on. "You may forget about me fast but I would not forget you."

Sighing, Aragorn said, "I do not think we should be talking of this. You are ill Legolas. You should not be worrying yourself and…"

"If you are in my presence I am going to be worrying myself about you and what I can do to prove that I love you," said Legolas, nervously fiddling with the sheets that were hugged around his waist. "Tell me that there is something I can do."

"There is nothing. I should leave if you are tormenting yourself," Aragorn replied.

Legolas' blue eyes widened with both fear and disappointment. "Please do not. Please. We need to have this conversation." Diverting his eyes down to the braid of the blanket, he fell into silence.

Trying not to look too upset at the elf, Aragorn decided to sit next to the older male in bed, closing the distance between them a little. "Then say what you want to say," groaned Aragorn. "We need to get this issue away so we can get back to normal."

"I do not want to go back to normal. I want to change our relationship," exclaimed Legolas. "Did you not get my message?" He pulled at the blanket, picking it apart.

"No. What message?" Aragorn asked. He took Legolas' hand in his to stop him from ravaging the blankets. Legolas curled his fingers around his tightly. How many other opportunities would he have after this to hold Aragorn's hand?

"Damnation. I asked Erestor and Glorfindel to deliver it to you," He would have to speak to them about it next time he was in the vicinity of Rivendell.

Forcing gentleness into his voice, Aragorn asked, "What was the message?"

"That I know I love you, I know I want you, and that Arwen Undómiel is not going to prevent me from wanting you. What is a fight without competition?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn gaped, and pulled his hand out of Legolas'. "How do you now about Arwen?" he gasped.

"I saw you with her, going into her rooms." Legolas was going to stop there, but the releasing of his hand had irritated him, and he added, "About two hours after you said that you could not have a partner to me."

Recoiling, Aragorn said, "You have no right to… Arwen was… she just…"

"She what, Aragorn? She was more attractive than me? She was more understanding than me? She was what?" Legolas could not prevent the anger in his voice: Aragorn had hurt him with his rejection and how quickly he had found someone else. And that it was that utter whore… Aragorn did not answer, looking troubled, and a hysterical bubble of laughter escaped Legolas' throat. "You do not know, do you? You do not know yourself."

Viciously, Aragorn snapped his head up and hissed, "I know that I love her. Surely that is enough."

"No, it is not, because you do not know why. How long have you known here? How much do you know about her, really?" Legolas cried.

"She knows enough. It was love at first sight for the both of us. She said so." There was desperation there.

"If I had use of my right hand I would slap you," growled Legolas. "You need some sense knocked into you and some enchantment knocked out."

"Because that is the act of someone in love," snorted Aragorn sarcastically. He slid off the bed and stood. He started stepping away, backing away, and Legolas had to bite his lip to bite down the pain and distress building inside him.

Legolas wanted to leap from his seat in bed, but the pain in his upper body restricted him from doing that. "In fact it is. I am in love with you and I will tell you the truth at every moment. Unlike that she-witch. She will lie without blinking, without twitching, without her nostrils flaring like yours do when you lie."

"I will not have you insult her like that," snarled Aragorn. "You have no right to."

"I will insult that Enchantress all I want," Legolas replied, one hand balling into a fist.

Aragorn growled, "I can not stand here and let you insult her, and so I am leaving here. You can recover without me. I came here with the intention of mending our friendship, but I can see that it will not be possible if you continue this infatuation with me."

"So where does that leave us?" Legolas asked, voice cracking.

"We need more time. You need to move on, find someone else to love. Love Cithan, or someone, anyone. You can have anyone, but you can not have me," Aragorn told him brusquely. "And it would be better if you realised that without me here."

"You want me to give up? You want me to lose the one person who is meant for me and spend my life in loneliness?" asked Legolas incredulously.

"No. I want you to give up so you can find the one person who you are meant to spend your life with so you are not lonely. And then pursue him or her as you see fit," Aragorn gently replied.

"Well I have found him, but he will not let me pursue him." Suddenly, a loud tapping came on the door, and with a steely tone in his voice, Legolas called, "Come in."

A nervous looking Cithan poked his head around the door, and asked, "Are you two alright? Only I thought I heard raised voices, and the Prince ought to be resting."

"Just what I said," Aragorn exclaimed. "Now if you will excuse me, I have duties that call me into the Wild. And I must follow that call Legolas, I see that. You will get over me." With that, he brushed past the Healer, and left Legolas alone with Cithan.

The Healer moved into the room and closed the door behind him. As he made his way over to the bed, he asked, "My Lord, are you alright? You look distressed."

"Distressed?" Legolas snorted cynically. "A little bit, yes. The man I know to be my soul mate just ran away. I have messed up again, he is running back to a woman who does not really love him, again, and I am unable to run after him as I wish to."

Cithan dropped down into a chair, and smiled at Legolas sympathetically. "I am sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"No thank you." There was another knock on the door, and Cithan went to open it. Two elves carrying heavily laden trays entered the room, and Legolas raised his eyebrows at the mountains of food on the trays. "You both ordered food for two, didn't you," sighed Legolas. "How am I going to eat all of this? I can not even us my right hand, and I am not hungry." He would need his energy for Laurient's funeral that afternoon. He had to eat, despite everything. The thoughts of the funeral made him feel sick. He brushed tears away and forced himself to smile.

"I will help if you wish. It is time for my lunch anyway," Cithan hesitantly offered.

Legolas motioned for him to sit down, and forced his thoughts away from Aragorn. It would be three months before they saw each other again.

**A/N: We are going to have to stop there. I am sorry. Everything was looking up and then I brought it all crashing back down but it needed to be done. But I can see the end, and it is a happy place, and that happy place is near!**


	8. Giving Up

Disclaimer: Not mine

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Never mine. I just play with them sometimes. T'is fun.**

The snow fell around him in flurries, clinging to his hair and clothes, biting at his exposed skin. Hanoni's dark mane was littered with white flakes. "Almost there mellon nin," he murmured to her. She snorted, her hot breath making clouds in the cool air. Ahead of him, Legolas could see Imladris: its towering white sculptures cold, but the warm firelight spilling from inside was more than inviting.

They crossed the freezing cold river, the droplets spraying up like tiny daggers, but they quickly arrived at the other side. Rapidly, Hanoni picked her way down the paths up to the maze of a house. Stable boys and guards met him, but he shook his head. "I will take her, but if you let the Lord Elrond know that Prince Legolas Thranduillion has arrived and wishes to see him."

"Of course my Lord," said the guard, before the group left Legolas to settle the horse down. He brushed her down, sorted out her stall and found her rich oats, before deciding to sit and wait for the guard to come back. Hanoni's dark eyes glared at Legolas, as he scratched her nose, and she snorted at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that girl?" asked Legolas, as the horse took steps away from him. "What is it?" The steely glare remained on him, and he sighed, holding up his hands. "Very well. I will go. But I doubt that he is here at the moment. Winter is a busy time for the Dúnedain."

As he left the hot stables, he almost bumped into the guard returning to him. The guard asked, "Would you come with me, please my Lord? Lord Elrond is waiting for you in his office."

Legolas nodded, and followed him up, left, right, round, back on himself, down and into the office. Lord Elrond was sitting in a plush velvet chair, and stood when Legolas entered. Somewhat warily – they had not parted on good terms last time – Legolas moved into the room, but Elrond offered his hand for Legolas to shake. "Welcome, son of Thranduil," he said.

"You do not suppose we could dispose of the formalities, a little?" asked Legolas, feigning an easy smile. "We spent a lot of time in each other's company for that decade I stayed here."

"Of course," smiled Elrond, "I was hoping that you would say that. I have people already setting up your rooms. I hope you will stay with us a little longer. At least over the winter period."

"I would be glad to," Legolas said, taking the seat that Elrond gestured him into. "Thank you very much. Yule in Imladris is always a treat. But, on a more serious note, I have a letter from my father for you." He dug in his breast pocket and handed the envelope over to him. It was sealed, but Legolas knew that it was about the gathering darkness. It was trying to take over everywhere, and Legolas knew that they needed Aragorn out fighting it more than ever.

Elrond took it, and read it with an expression growing more and more serious as his eyes scanned the letter. Suddenly, as he flicked onto the second page, there came a thumping on the door, and Glorfindel tumbled into the room. "Legolas!"

One eyebrow cocked, Elrond raised his eyes slowly from his paper to the Balrog Slayer. "Am I holding you back from something, Legolas?" asked the Elven Lord, as Erestor, at a more sedate pace, moved into the room.

"I apologise my Lord. Forgive him. He is… a little bit excited," said Erestor as he moved into the study.

Looking at Glorfindel, whose arms were around Legolas' neck, where he sat in his chair, Elrond said, "So I see. Do you have competition Erestor?"

The moment Elrond said that, Glorfindel pulled away from Legolas, as if shocked, and sidled closer to Erestor. The Chief Advisor rolled his eyes, "I know who Glorfindel loves, even if he hugs strange elves."

"I am not strange," exclaimed Legolas, but he was ignored, as Glorfindel wrapped his arms around Erestor and kissed his temple.

"Sorry. I am sorry."

Erestor waved him away, with the mutter of, "Not whilst I am working," before smiling at Legolas. "It is good to see you again mellon nin. We wondered when you would come back."

"If you would come back," added Glorfindel. "When you left –"

Interrupting him, Elrond said, "I am sorry, but would you mind having this conversation elsewhere? I do not mean to offend, but I do have work to do, and I cannot help but think you are going to be conversing for a while. Would you mind leaving to continue this?"

Smiling a genuine smile this time, Legolas nodded, and gratefully said, "I thank you."

"Erestor, go with them. Make sure your Balrog Slayer does not break anything in his excitement," Elrond told him.

Chuckling, the Advisor obeyed, and, hands on the arms of both Legolas and Glorfindel, pulled them out of the room so that his Lord was left in peace. He led them silently into his rooms, which were only a short way down the hallway. He grinned at Legolas as soon as the doors had shut behind them. "Welcome back. Welcome home."

Legolas gave a soft snort of laughter, and replied, "My thanks. Though, this is not really my home now, if I am honest. My home is Mirkwood. Now that I am Crown Prince, it has to be."

Immediately, Erestor's face softened, and Glorfindel's grin slipped. Their eyes went to the simple black linen of Legolas' outfit; mourning clothes. "We are sorry. We heard of your brother's loss. We wanted to attend the funeral, we wanted to come and tell you that you had our support, but we had to stay here," Erestor gently told him.

"I received your letter of condolences. Thank you for that," Legolas replied softly. "I appreciated any kind words."

"Sit down, please. You look half dead with cold," said Glorfindel, and winced when Erestor elbowed him in the ribs at the insensitive remark. The dark haired elf glared at him, until Glorfindel moved away to light a fire in the grate.

"Ignore him," Erestor said, gesturing for Legolas to take a seat in the armchair, which he accepted gratefully, sinking into the plush cushions with a pleased sigh.

"How long are you staying for?" asked Glorfindel from the grate. He squealed ungracefully as he burnt his fingers with the tinderbox, and continued, "Not that we want you to go. We want to know how long we get to spend with you."

"Glorfindel, love, in the sweetest possible way I say shut up," Erestor instructed. The pouting Balrog Slayer obeyed, and then moved up to sit down on the sofa with his dark haired lover. Swinging his legs over Glorfindel's knees to keep him sat in one place rather than bouncing around puppy-like as he was wont, Erestor smiled at Legolas and asked, "So how are you, Legolas, tell us."

Leaning back into his chair, Legolas said, "I am… alright. Just, alright. I still miss Laurient, and… cannot talk about him with many people. Atar does not like to talk about him, and I feel… numb most of the times. Aragorn does not want me, Laurient is gone, I stopped feeling the pain of both of those things but… when I did that I could not feel anything else. There are no other sensations."

By the expressions on the other two elves' faces, it was clear that the response they had been expecting had been more along the lines of "Alright."

"I apologise. I did not mean to… rant. There is just, no one else for me to express my feelings to," sighed Legolas. He ran his hands through his hair, so Legolas asked, "How have you been in my absence?"

"Fine."

"Fine."

They spoke in somewhat shocked unison. In silence, uncomfortably, Erestor and Glorfindel shifted together so that Erestor was on Glorfindel's knee, and the golden elf was hugging him tight.

After a long, quiet moment, Erestor asked, "How can we help you? What can we do? We are your friends. We have to be able to do help you somehow." His voice was strangled as he spoke.

Legolas' eyes followed Glorfindel's hand stroked Erestor's arm. If only he could mirror that with his human love. But… he knew that that was not going to happen anymore. It was clear to him after the months spent in the castle, after the buzz disappeared from his argument with Aragorn. He would have to keep those feelings inside, and never mention them to Aragorn again if there was any hope for their friendship.

"We should have given that message to Aragorn, the one that you gave us, but we could not. He had just professed his love for Arwen Undómiel, they are together we believe. He has come and gone several times since you left, each time spending anything from a night to a week with her, and then going home," Glorfindel told him. "We are sorry."

"It is alright. We can never be together, I can see that now. Do not worry yourselves about that," said Legolas, forcing a smile onto his face. He had gotten into the practice of doing that after the past few months. "I love him and I will have to keep that to myself from now on if there is any hope for any relationship between us. Friends is almost more than I dare hope for now."

"That is not fair on you," sighed Erestor, heavily, leaning back against his lover. "We should have delivered that message, and you could be together already."

"No, I do not think so. Not with Arwen," Legolas said. "Now, I hope you do not mind but I am exhausted and wet and cold. I will excuse myself if you will let me."

Eyes widening, Erestor said, "Of course mellon nin. Of course. We should not have kept you so long. I am sorry."

"It is nothing, I am glad to have been catching up with you, even if we have only been talking about me. We will talk about you later." He stood up, pulling his cloak around him somewhat to warm himself.

"Would you like to eat with us for dinner?" Glorfindel asked, standing up and chivvying Erestor off at the same time. "We eat in the hall normally, but we could have it up here if you wish."

"Oh no, the hall is fine," said Legolas, and he left the room.

Muttering in Erestor's ear, Glorfindel said, "He does not know that Arwen eats in the hall every day, does he?"

"No, but he will."

000

Two weeks later and, if Legolas had not sworn to stay in Rivendell over Yule, he would have fled. Arwen seemed to be everywhere he looked. At meal times she was eating across the room. Every music exhibition and dancing session, she was there. Whenever he walked down a hallway she would sweep past. It was like she was trying to goad him, to remind him that she held Aragorn's heart in her claw-like hands, with her beauty and her grace. When she entered a room, which she invariably did once everyone else was gathered so that all would see her, and so that most of the males' eyes and not a few females' would follow her around.

There was a small entourage that followed her almost everywhere she went: six imposingly tall strong male guards, four enchantingly beautiful maids in waiting, and a gaggle of ever changing infatuated men who fell in and out of her favour. It was almost painful to watch them come and go, and almost everyone in Rivendell knew who it was that Arwen was taking to bed that night.

They were sitting, devouring dinner on the sixteenth day of Legolas' stay – or Glorfindel was devouring, Erestor was chewing sedately and Legolas was merely picking – when the door of the dining hall sung open. As ever, most of the elves in the room glanced up to see the newcomer, and Legolas was among them. He had to slam his hand to his mouth to stop himself from calling out.

Erestor and Glorfindel looked over at their friend when he heard the sound, and Erestor softly asked, "What is it Legolas?" And then they followed his line of vision.

Standing there, tall and proud, was Aragorn. His stern silver eyes were set off beautifully by the dark blue tunic he wore, treaded with silver, and the plush slashed doublet he wore of the same material. "He looks… so perfect," murmured Legolas, into his hands, "Ai, Valar."

"I do not think they can help you with her around," said Glorfindel, for, across the room, Arwen's eyes had locked onto the Dúnedain's. She waved a lazy hand at her followers, and they melted into background, then she crooked her finger at Aragorn once, just once. She need not have bothered, for he was already striding towards her with a clear purpose in mind.

Legolas had to turn away as Aragorn pressed a kiss to the elleth's hand, and the led her off to the dance floor, but he knew what was happening. On either side of him, Erestor and Glorfindel placed a hand each on his, sympathetically, but Legolas drew his hands away to knot them together in his lap. "He did not even look at me," he muttered, half to himself.

Immediately, Erestor said, "He did not see you."

"He was not looking around for friends, just for Arwen," Glorfindel added.

"I am sure that comment was supposed to help and, though it did not, it was a nice effort," smirked Legolas. Still avoiding letting his eyes rest anywhere near the dance floor, Legolas set his face in a smile and announced, "Very well. It is Yule tomorrow. I mean to have fun. Now, surely we can find some way to have some of that."

Before long, the three of them had joined another group of friends, and were laughing merrily. Every so often though, Legolas' eyes flickered over to Aragorn, but he never looked over at him. Aragorn's eyes never flickered away from Arwen. His whole concentration was on the enchanting, swaying, spinning, swirling elleth.

It was sickening.

But eventually, when Legolas was thinking about returning to his rooms to go to sleep, a heavily breathing human dropped down into the seat next to him. "Ai, I am exhausted. But Merry Yule Erestor, Glorfindel." He glanced around the rest of the circle until, with a shocked expression, his eyes landed on Legolas'. "Legolas, what in Elbereth's name are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question," Legolas quietly said, not looking at him. "I have been here for over a fortnight. You have just waltzed in here and… waltzed."

"I had missed her," shrugged Aragorn. "You should have come over to me. I would have liked to have talked to you. Find out about whatever new lover you have." He raised a hand to smother a yawn. "Oh, excuse me. I would talk to you Legolas, I know we probably do have a lot to talk about, but I am exhausted. I have to go if I want to stay awake long enough to have any enjoyment tonight."

"We will have time to talk I am sure," said Legolas. There was an iron grip on his voice, keeping it steady, under control. No emotion seeped through. "I am here throughout the season. When are you planning to stay until?"

"Until Arwen tells me to leave, or I am forced to by the call of my duty." That did not bode well, but with that, Aragorn took a long pull of drink, and left the room.

Legolas sat there, mouth wide open in a show of supreme lack of dignity, as he was left behind.

"Was that whirlwind who came and went our Aragorn? Our Estel?" asked Erestor, blinking rapidly. "It does not seem like it could be."

"He… he… he is ignoring… He was not angry... He meant what he said… he would not let us be friends if I continued to love him... If I hide my love for him, then we will still be friends... He forgot his anger…" stuttered Legolas, in broken sentences.

"Legolas, what are you saying? That you are still going along with this plan of hiding your love?" Erestor and Glorfindel shared glances. "Because that is not healthy and I do not think you could go along with it for long. I am afraid you will fail and that you will damage whatever relationship you have with him."

Glorfindel took over, "He is not entirely over his anger. He thinks you are over your love, because you did not approach him. I could see that in his eyes, but you did not meet them. Why do you think he asked about a lover?"

"Why do you think he left so fast?" Erestor added

"Why do you think he spoke about enjoying the night with Arwen?" reasoned Glorfindel.

"I know, I know. I do not know. I just… even if I keep the fire of love inside me, without fuel from Aragorn, maybe it will die. Maybe that will keep him happy. Maybe that is what is best for him. Maybe I have just given up. I do not want to fight with him over this anymore," Legolas sighed, staring down at his lap. Around him, conversations started to break out again. They were not interested anymore; the Dúnedain was gone.

"Legolas… you should not," Erestor softly said.

"I can see no way for us to be together. Maybe mine and Aragorn's names are not supposed to be entwined. Maybe it is supposed to be Arwen and Aragorn," Legolas glanced up at Erestor and Glorfindel with a weary smile. "We are not supposed to be like you. We are just supposed to be friends, and I suppose that in time my heart will probably get over this infatuation with Aragorn. If he refuses me so many times… it hurts every time… and… I do not want that anymore. If Arwen makes him happy then what am I to do?"

**A/N: What indeed. What indeed. **


	9. Dreams

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

I have given up on him, Legolas thought over and over, as he tossed in his bed. Given up, given in, given up, given in, oh but those silver eyes that you could just swim in… But no, no more thoughts of Aragorn anymore. He would never mention it to anyone ever again. He would have to find a distraction. He had slept well all night, and now it was morning.

000

There came a hesitant tapping on the door, and Glorfindel groaned. Erestor gazed up at him with drowsy disappointment, silently asking if he had to leave. "Do not give me those wide eyes, love, I have to," Glorfindel told him.

"If you ignore them they might leave us in peace," Erestor whispered.

"Or they might knock louder," Glorfindel replied, slipping out of bed and searching for clothes. "They might need one of us."

Moaning, Erestor rolled over and buried his head in on of the pillows, "It can not be me. Elrond said I would have this whole week off."

Glorfindel snorted, "You do not suppose for a second that I can be needed as well melda?"

"Nope," Erestor simply said from his pillow.

Trying not to grin, Glorfindel opened the door. Legolas stood there, looking exhausted, but cheerily said, "Good morning. Nice to see you up and dressed, would you like to come and shoot with me?"

Erestor groaned from their bed, "It is Yule."

At precisely the same time, Glorfindel gently said the same thing, and then added, "No one will be there."

Bouncing on his heels, Legolas grinned, "Exactly! We will not have to wait, and it will be quiet and it will be fun."

"Will you just wait there one minute?" asked Glorfindel, and Legolas nodded his agreement.

With Legolas waiting behind the door, Glorfindel crawled so he was half on top of Erestor, and murmured, "Melda, I can not just let him get though this on his own. Who knows how he is feeling? Certainly not us; our getting together was relatively simple. We ought to be there for our friends."

As Glorfindel drew circles on Erestor's back, raising goosepimples, the Advisor sighed, "We ought to, but I am not going to go to archery practice on Yule morning just to keep him busy. He could… eat breakfast or something. Go for a run, a ride."

"But he wishes to shoot," Glorfindel murmured back, "And those things do not capture his attention as fully as archery does, my lovely one. So I am going to the shooting range." He pressed a kiss to the back of his lover's neck, and went back to Legolas, with the words, "Very well my friend. Lead the way."

000

Shot after shot thudded into the targets, set up at awkward angles and of different sizes and lengths for difficulty. And Legolas shot into the centres of them all.

Glorfindel just watched, eyes and mouth wide open, as each shot hit its mark. Legolas' face was creased in concentration and when the arrows began their second round of the targets, shredding straight through the arrows that were already in the centre, Glorfindel knew he ought to intervene. It looked like Legolas would injure himself otherwise.

"May I have a turn perhaps?" he tried. At Legolas' gruff nod, he added, "I normally prefer to be using swords, so my aim will not be as good."

"Nonsense," snorted Legolas. "Is Glorfindel the famous Balrog Slayer afraid of being beaten? By a son of Mirkwood no less?"

"Not afraid, just certain. Not one of our archers could defeat you in this game." But he could already see Legolas beginning to get impatient, and so, Glorfindel settlement the arrow into the string, raised it as he pulled the string back, stared straight down the perfectly streamlined arrow, and let it loose. He was grateful for his leather gauntlets when the string twanged into his wrist, but then he heard Legolas' clapping.

"Almost dead centre," Legolas commented. "Impressive."

"Do not be so patronising Thranduillion," growled Glorfindel. "This is your weapon, not mine."

A smirk lit Legolas' face, "Very well. Let us see if I can remember how to use a sword."

Grinning, Glorfindel slung the bow and quiver onto his back, as Legolas went to wrench his arrows out of the targets. They were all deeply imbedded, and Glorfindel asked, "Do you really think you can beat me of all people at sword play?"

"There is no need to sound so conceited," argued Legolas, but his shoulders sagged momentarily. "No I do not think I can beat you, but I do think that you will be able to wear me out. Maybe then I will be able to go back to sleep."

His voice soft, Glorfindel asked, "This was all to make you fall asleep? I thought it was to clear your head in the air, or distract you."

"It was about all of them," said Legolas, as he took the last arrow from its bed and led the way to the courts.

000

Two hours later, Glorfindel returned to Erestor, who was up, dressed and waiting for him. Pushing sweat-stained hair back from his eyes, the golden elf smiled and said, "Well Legolas is exhausted. Two and a half hours of exercise does that to you."

A frown marred Erestor's forehead, as he asked, "What did you do to him?"

"I wore him out," Glorfindel simply said, as he moved into the next room. Erestor heard a moan of relief as Glorfindel took in the sight of the hot bath Erestor had prepared.

"You have no right to wear him out," growled Erestor, trying to restrain laughter. "You were supposed to wear me out this morning."

There was a soft splash as Glorfindel entered the water, and he called, "Who says there is not still time to wear you out? Again?"

"Are you inviting me to join you?"

"Of course."

000

Legolas nibbled at Aragorn's ear, and grinned as goosepimples pockmarked the surface of the human's skin.

"What idiot decided that making love outside in the snow was a good idea," growled Aragorn, drawing heavy breaths in, and the breaths out became steam in the cold.

"You are not shivering from cold," Wet kisses were pressed to the bare skin of the human's neck, "You are shivering from desire," the kisses went down the neck, to the collar bone, down his chest, "You are not feeling cold," the chest to the stomach. Legolas' tongue licked a circle around Aragorn's belly button. "You are burning with passion."

"How did you know?" gasped Aragorn, as the wandering tongue made its way down to his manhood.

"Because that is exactly what I feel," Legolas replied, and then, ever so tentatively, he flicked his tongue out to lick at the small drop of pre cum from the top of Aragorn's erection, but then a hand shot out to stop him. Tears of disappointment welled, uncalled for, in Legolas' crystal blue eyes, but Aragorn's heart almost stopped at the sight of them.

"No sweet Legolas," he murmured gently, "No tears. I do not want to be selfish when I have been all this time. I want to pleasure you instead, and from your pleasure I too shall draw satisfaction in that I being to pay back my debt to you." A smile began to grow on Legolas' face as Aragorn continued, "Besides, I can not imagine you being the submissive one in this relationship."

"Obviously," Legolas said, and gasped aloud at the electric shock that rocketed through him as the tongue rolled around his tip. Aragorn restrained a groan at the pure expression of ecstasy on Legolas' face, and felt himself grow even harder than before. As he experimented with licks and flicks, searching for the places which would bring Legolas the most pleasure, the mewls and whimpers and moans Legolas expressed brought him even nearer to the brink. He did not know it was even possible to be so aroused without even receiving a touch himself.

He drew away when he knew that Legolas was close, and, forcing himself to resist the groan Legolas made, he instructed, "Look at me." With great reluctance, Legolas obeyed and Aragorn crawled up to whisper in his ear. "I love you."

Almost fiercely, Legolas seized his chin and pressed a ferocious kiss to his lips, before moving back to murmur, "I love you too."

000

Aragorn woke with a start, drenched in sweat, and so aroused that it hurt. His eyes had shot open, and they latched onto Arwen, staring at him from next to him in his bed. "Arwen," he croaked. When she nodded, he continued, "I need you. I want you. Please."

Gracefully, she moved towards him. He had had dreams like that before, and had lied before that it was Arwen who had stimulated him.

000

Legolas jolted upwards and wiped the sheen of perspiration away from his eyes. His erection throbbed, and he had to check next to him that Aragorn was not sleeping at his side. He was all alone.

His hand moved down; he would have to relieve himself. It was not the first time he had had that dream. It was clear that, whilst his head might be starting to loosen his hold on Aragorn, his heart and body clearly were not.

000

Pushing his dinner around his plate apathetically later that day, Legolas found himself watching Erestor and Glorfindel and, once again, feeling jealous of the sweetness and devotion which was clear between the couple. Across the room, Arwen was eating with Aragorn, and, though Legolas' opinion might be biased, it seemed to him that the human was not enjoying himself nearly as much. Maybe, just maybe, he was not happy with Arwen.

The hope ached inside his chest, and he had to squash it back down. What was he thinking of? Stop it, he thought to himself, and returned to his meal. Only, chewing on a mouthful unenthusiastically some minutes later, to his surprise, the empty seat next to him was filled. By Aragorn.

Erestor and Glorfindel shared a glance, and muted their conversation, but quietly, Legolas turned to the human and spared him a small smile, as he put his cutlery down and asked, "What brings you down to us lowly immortals?"

A frown quirked Aragorn's features for a moment, but then he said, "Arwen has gone to talk to Ada. But if you do not want me here, I will go."

"No, I just wanted to know where I stood with you," Legolas said.

Glorfindel shivered at the cold tinge in his voice, but Erestor whispered in his ear. "Legolas said he had given up, I think he is trying to make himself believe that." The golden haired elf could only nod.

"I do not think it is possible to know where we stand at the moment," snorted Aragorn. "But it will sort itself out."

"Maybe," was Legolas' only bitter comment.

With a sigh, Erestor rose, pulling Glorfindel with him. "We need to go. We will see you later on, at the midnight celebration. Both of you."

So Aragorn and Legolas were left on their own, and, awkwardly twisting his hands together, Aragorn softly confessed, "I had a dream about you last night."

"That is odd. I had a dream about you also, although," Legolas flushed a deep crimson, "I doubt very much that it was the same dream. What was it that you dreamt?"

"Just… some nonsense or other… I do not remember much of it… It was outside in the snow, the cold, but I was not cold…" Aragorn stuttered as he spoke, and had turned the same shade of red.

"You are not the best liar mellon nin," smirked Legolas, pushing his plate back. "If you are making it up, or just saying it to come and talk to me, you can say so. Or… if what you dreamt embarrassed you, you do not have to say."

"Alright," Aragorn said, and then said nothing more. Until a few minutes later, when he muttered, "I am leaving in an hour or so. I want to visit my mother, to give her the gift I bought for her, but I will be back in two days."

Hugging himself slightly, Legolas said, "Very well. I will see you then. Although, as you have not come to see me all day, and though I have looked for you it appears that you are never anywhere to be found, I doubt I will have a chance to miss you, or the other way around."

In a growl, Aragorn told him, "I expect you will miss me, because I know that I will miss you." Legolas' neck cricked as he swung around and met Aragorn's eyes for the first time. "I have missed you since we last were in the same room. I do not know how you can accuse me of that."

"Because you left me, alone and in pain and in mourning in a hospital room," Legolas snarled back.

Aragorn held up his hands, in surrender or protest Legolas was not sure, but he stopped talking so the human could. "I am sorry, so sorry about that. And I regretted that the moment I stepped out of the room, but I had to do what was best. For the both of us, mellon nin. Surely you can understand that."

Legolas bit back, "Well it was not the best thing for me. I had to face my brother's funeral on my own, and try and battle to get my father to run his kingdom and his own home, alone. I wanted you there beside me to help me with that, but clearly that was not to be. But since then, what you wanted has come true. I have started to give up. I think… I am burning myself out waiting for you to love me, and I do not have the energy anymore. I have all of eternity to live, but I do not know how much of your life I can see wasted away with someone who… you know what I think of her and I am not going to repeat it all. I will only drive you away."

Shaking his head, Aragorn opened his mouth to speak, but Legolas hurriedly said, "No, I need to saw all of this. I do not want to let you go, and I do not want to, but maybe I need to." He stood and, with an agitated air, moved away. Aragorn followed in silence, out of the hall so they could shelter in an alcove in the empty hallways. Taking a deep breath, and preferring the privacy, Legolas continued, "Whatever dreams of you I have, they are just that. They are just dreams. It seems that you will not let them become a reality, however much my heart bleeds and my body cries for them to be real." There were tears in Legolas' eyes, and Aragorn found his heart aching as well.

Glancing around, he found them to be utterly alone, and drew in closer to Legolas. "I am sure I could love you as a lover, Legolas, but at the moment all we are is friends, and I do not see that ever changing. Arwen is a perfect choice. You know I have to be King if I survive the next few decades, and she would be the perfect Queen, and I love her."

"That I know you think you could love me just makes everything harder," Legolas sighed, glancing away from Aragorn as the Elbereth damned tears flooded over.

"No sweet Legolas," Aragorn murmured. "No tears."

At those words, Legolas started. Those were the exact same words Aragorn had spoken in the dream. "Tears will come, because I am trying against so much feeling inside me to give up someone who means the most to me. I have only just lost my brothers." He fiddled with the black trim on black velvet he was wearing. "And you have no concept of how much that hurt. Now… I am purposely trying to kill my connections to you in my heart, and it feels very similar."

"I do not want you to hurt," whispered Aragorn. And suddenly he could not stand it anymore. He had been plagued by dreams and desires and once, when Arwen was on top of him, he had found himself fantasizing that it was Legolas instead, though no one could ever make him admit it. It had all started with that kiss, which had haunted him constantly. So maybe he could end it with another. He pressed Legolas against the wall, and planted his lips to Legolas'.

It took only a moment, but then, Legolas' lips began to move, and the elf spun so that he was pushing Aragorn up against the wall instead, and kissed him frantically, as if he could not get enough. Aragorn was almost positive that was in fact what was happening. When Legolas licked along Aragorn's lips, grazing along his teeth, exploring, and Aragorn noticed that Legolas tasted of honey, and apples, and… something indefinable. He had never noticed how Arwen tasted. Though… probably not as sweet. He would have noticed.

Aragorn's lips were beginning to grow numb when Legolas drew away. "Will you tell me what that was for?" the elf asked, panting slightly as Aragorn pulled away from the wall.

"Mostly to say that I am sorry. I am hurting you, and I never wanted to do that. But also, to say goodbye. I will see you in two days, but during that time, you should know that I will be missing you," Aragorn earnestly said.

"You will be missing the Enchantress more," muttered Legolas.

"Who?" Aragorn frowned, and then he realised, "Arwen, correct?" A nod from Legolas, and Aragorn sighed, "Yes, I will be missing Arwen more, but she is my lover. I am supposed to miss her more than you."

He could see Legolas chewing on his tongue, and the elf then groaned, "There is no way I can say anything to convince you of anything. I will see you when you return."

**A/N: I'm thinking… only three chapters left to write. Maybe? Possibly? I am not sure. Also, thank you for getting us to fifty reviews! I love all of you so much!**


	10. Saviour

Disclaimer: Not mine

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I've never claimed it to be mine. **

**Warning: sex**

Aragorn rode at a gallop, racing to get back to Rivendell. Whether he was going at such a fast pace to reach Legolas or Arwen, even he did not know half the time. His mind was in turmoil whenever he thought of either of them, but he knew who his duty lay with, all of the time. And that meant he would be going to Arwen. Very well.

He unsaddled his horse and sorted him out carefully first, grateful that he had ridden home so quickly, before trotting towards Arwen's rooms. Impatience and excitement mingled as he made his way there. Even two days seemed too long to wait between seeing her, it really did. It was as if he was addicted to her, and he could not stop going back for more.

Almost skidding, he made it into the hallway that held her rooms, and entered her lounge, which was unlocked. It was always very quiet in Rivendell in general, but particularly in Arwen's corridor. And yet, strangely, it was not silent today. He had no elvish hearing, but he could hear sounds… Grunts, thumps of a mattress, and a stifled female scream that was far too familiar…

Against his own will, he crept forwards to the door to her bedroom, which had been left open a crack, and one glance was all it took. Arwen, with another man. And she was hardly struggling. And then words that brought Aragorn's world crashing down, words cried out in the throes of passion, gasped; "I love you."

She had said those words to him not even a year ago, and he had been the one to say them first. Not her. Aragorn almost fell to his knees, as the walls of his mind crumbled. A spell, broken. She had never loved him, she had used him, she was as power-hungry as they had said. He had heard the whispers, but he had ignored them. She had lied, and… he had to get out, he had to run, to get away from that… Enchantress.

000

Had he been human, Erestor would have been knocked to his feet by Aragorn as he dashed past. As it was, his elvish abilities and his lover steadied him, and he whipped around in time to see Aragorn disappearing into the snow covered forest.

"Was that Aragorn?" asked Glorfindel, "Almost running you over?"

"I believe it was. He looked…" For a moment he had to struggle for the word, and then it hit him, "Distraught."

Glorfindel hesitated for just a second, and then spun on his heel. "We ought to find Legolas."

"Not ought to," Erestor said, picking up the pace, "Need to."

000

Legolas was sitting quite comfortably reading on his bed when Erestor and Glorfindel burst in, shouting.

"Aragorn…"

"Needs you…"

"Distraught…"

"Who else…?"

"Whoa my friends," Legolas called over them, "Calm down at tell me what is going on."

Frantically, still talking over the top of each other, Erestor and Glorfindel explained what they had seen. They knew that as every second passed, Aragorn would be getting further and further into the woods.

"So you see," Erestor finished, "You have to go and find him."

Legolas picked up the book which had fallen from his hands, and simply said, "No." At Erestor and Glorfindel's outraged exclamations, he sighed and explained, "I have picked up the pieces of that human far too many times. If he wants to involve himself with Arwen there are going to be tears, and I am not going to be the one to pull him out of that, not when he is just going to rush back to her. If he is upset she can sort him out. He is her lover."

Glorfindel gasped, "What are you thinking Legolas? This is Aragorn, your Aragorn."

"No, he is not my Aragorn, he is Arwen's Aragorn. I have given up, I have said that before," Legolas stated, crossing his arms. If they knew how much it hurt him to say no… but it was best. He could not just be led along by a stolen kiss in a hall. "He will go and find his Arwen and all will be better."

Without warning, a punch landed on Legolas' cheek, and when, a hand over the site of pain, Legolas looked up, he saw Glorfindel holding Erestor back, but gazing at him with both shock and awe. "What was that for?" asked Legolas.

"For being a fool," Erestor growled, "It is Aragorn's job to be an idiot, not yours. You are much older and therefore should be much wiser." He exhaled deeply and then added, "Glorfindel, love, I am not going to hurt him again, he just needed to snap out of this idiocy. Let me go."

"No," Glorfindel said, eyeing him warily. "Not until your heart rate has returned to normal. And that is not call for you to hurt me. This is just me trying to protect Legolas."

But Legolas was unfolding himself, and placed his book back on the bed. "You are right."

"See?" Erestor exclaimed to his lover, but then to Legolas he urged, "Go. Fast, run. I do not know how far he will have got."

"I am gone," Legolas ran from the room.

Erestor and Glorfindel stood, rooted in place, until the Advisor sighed, "Glorfindel you can let me go now. I can not help feeling that they may be wanting to use this room, and we really do not want to be in the same place as them if that happens."

000

Legolas raced down hallways, wound through elves, and pounded through the paths of the forest. He did not know which way Aragorn had gone at all, but he found himself being drawn towards a spot. Somehow, he just knew that he would find Aragorn if he kept on running, and then…

There he was, hunched into a ball in the snow. At first Legolas thought he was shivering from cold, but after a second of staring, he realised that the tremors running through the human's body were sobs. His heart ached to wrap his arms around the human, but he did not want to spook him. Instead, he knelt down next to him, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

At the touch, Aragorn started, but when he saw who it was, tears spilt anew from the molten silver eyes.

"What happened to no tears?" murmured Legolas, and without warning, he found himself with arms full of Aragorn. Rocking the crying human gently, he stroked the soft hair, and waited from him to calm down.

It took only a few moments of him holding the human for the sobs began to slow, and Aragorn choked, "I have been terrible to you. You have done nothing but love me, and I had the nerve to resent you when you said you were giving up, but why should you continue loving when I have been nothing but cruel to you."

"Wait, wait," Legolas said, "Slow down, calm down, and try and breathe in the process." He ran the back of his hand down the human's cheek, wiping away the tears, but Aragorn caught that hand in his.

"Please Legolas, let me say this," Aragorn said desperately. "I need to, and then you can hit me or hate me or ignore me or anything, just let me say it. It is just… I have known for a time already that I do have a love for you. But it was like there was an enchantment on me and whenever I thought of you, I felt guilty and my mind went back to Arwen. But you were right, I did not know her, or her intentions, or if her love was true. She went to no lengths to secure my love for her, as you did, and she barely ever brought it up again, or repeated it. And then, I found her with someone else, and I knew that you were right and I was wrong, but… it hurts, and it is dark in a world without someone to love you, and I know that you have given up on me, but maybe, just maybe, you could find the love again. Because I am dark and I am cold and I need someone to save me from that." He was panting by the time he finished, and Legolas sighed.

"You want me to save you? To hold you and to tell you that everything will be alright when you feel that nothing will ever be alright again? You want me to love you, when at any moment you could fall again and go back to her? Because many have," He drew away, letting go of Aragorn.

"No, I need you to do those things in the full knowledge that I will never go back to Arwen. I swear to you. And if I am even tempted to, I need you to pull me out of it, to save me form her, and to save me from myself," whispered Aragorn, in such a low tone that Legolas had to move forwards to hear his words properly.

Legolas stared into Aragorn's silver eyes for a long moment, and found nothing but honesty and pain in his eyes. Whatever Aragorn said about solutions for the future, he was not over Arwen's betrayal. Legolas still loved him, however much he had tried to convince himself otherwise, and hated the pain he was in because of that… bitch. He would make it better for him.

Gently, he moved forwards, and kissed the human. Aragorn almost began to cry again at the sweetness and tenderness in the kiss. Twisting his hand into the human's hair, Legolas kissed him, again and again, putting everything he felt into them, showing Aragorn how much he cared for him, and how much he loved him.

When he drew away, leaving Aragorn gasping, for more, not just for oxygen, he asked, "What were you thinking when I kissed you?" He wanted to know if Aragorn had been thinking of Arwen whilst he had been kissing him and he would know if he lied.

"I was not thinking of anything, I was… intoxicated. You filled every finch of my mind," Aragorn confessed, almost urgently. "And I want more of that, please. Your kisses are… dazzling." He shivered.

"You are freezing and wet and overly emotional," sighed Legolas, standing up, however secretly pleased he was that he had that effect on Aragorn, knowing that there was no lie. "Come on, mellon nin. We can continue this discussion inside." He stood, and offered a hand.

"Arwen is inside," said Aragorn with a shudder, though he took the elf's hand.

"She is not going to be in my bedroom," Legolas said, rolling his eyes. Normally he would have let go of Aragorn's hand, but not this time. This time he was going to lead the human home.

000

Aragorn watched in confusion as Legolas flitted around the bedroom, sorting out little, pointless bits around the room. He could see him being overtaken by nerves, and called, "Calm down Legolas." The elf turned slowly and Aragorn gazed at him. He cut a solemn figure, pale, with his creamy gold hair, dressed in dark cloth. "You are making me nervous."

With a groan, Legolas dropped down onto the bed next to Aragorn and lay flat on his back. "I am nervous, I do not know what to do, I do not know what you want from me."

Plainly, Aragorn said, "I want you to hold me."

That Legolas could do. He opened his arms, and Aragorn nestled into the hold. Trailing his fingers through Aragorn's hair, Legolas asked, "What do you want me to do now?"

"You twist so that we are more comfortable," Aragorn said, and Legolas obeyed so that they were lying properly, "And you hold me until I fall asleep, and then, when I wake up you tell me that you love me and then you make love to me until I scream you name to the stars."

Legolas could not restrain a snort. "You have not been fantasizing about this at all, have you Aragorn?"

Moving a hand to cover his mouth as he laughed, Aragorn said, "I may have done. Indeed, once when I was inside Arwen in fact."

The humour failed, and Legolas turned cold. "I do not want to think about that. I refuse to have any mentions of that whore whilst in my bed. If you love me, then you can never do that again."

"I am sorry," Aragorn pressed a kiss to Legolas' pale neck. "I did not mean to upset you. I will never mention… that again. I want to forget it all, though I know that I will have to confront it. But I want to move on, to move away, to you. It was an enchantment, nothing more, and I want you. The love you barely stopped showing, the passion I see you putting into so many things, that you could put into a relationship I know, and your beauty and your kindness."

"What happened to not mentioning this?" Legolas grumbled.

"Forgive me, I am sorry," Aragorn sighed, nuzzling into Legolas' side. "Make me forget about everything. You slowed my thinking with your kisses, so eradicate it. Make love to me, please, clear my mind."

There was a long, tense pause, before Legolas said, "No."

Disappointment flooded Aragorn and he stammered, "Why? Why will you not?"

Legolas slipped out from under Aragorn's head, and he moved over to lie on top of Aragorn, gazing down at him whilst leaning on his elbows. "You do not want to make love, you want sex to make you forget. You need to learn about me and discover the reasons of love."

"I have just stated why I love you," exclaimed Aragorn, slightly incredulous. "And I know that it is you and only you who can bring me that. I feel that vividly, everything has become clear to me."

"Are you sure?" Legolas cautiously asked. "I do not want to take advantage of your emotional situation. You may well regret it afterwards."

Stubbornly, Aragorn said, "I will not. In my mind, there is no way to prove our love more than this joining, truly I do not. Can we not just prove this once and for all? Love me, I know already that I love you, and I have no doubt that we would be good together. Our three kisses already indicate this."

Still slightly hesitant, Legolas agreed, "Alright, we will do this, bud do not resent me if this goes wrong."

Aragorn snorted, "I doubt you are that bad at making love."

The tension in the room dissolved, particularly when Aragorn moved a hand down to the elf's crotch, and Legolas met the human's eyes. The familiar flame of love for Aragorn, which he had been keeping down for the past two months, spiked back up. The desire overwhelmed him, and he lowered his lips down onto Aragorn's as he kissed the human until both their sets of lips were numb. Aragorn kept pulling him back for more.

"Are we going to kiss all day or are you going to actually make love to me?" demanded Aragorn, "Not that I mind the kisses."

"You kept bring me back, not the other way around. Now hush," Legolas murmured, but, lips barely moving from Aragorn's as he began to remove Aragorn's tunic, and then his shirt. When his had moved down to the lacings of Aragorn's leggings, Legolas hesitated once more. Moving his lips an inch away, pressing back against the hand that was threaded into his hair, he asked, "Are you sure?"

"How many more times must I say yes?" sighed Aragorn.

"I am glad you said that, because I was not planning on stopping." Grinning, he continued with his work.

Soon both bodies were pressed against each other, stripping naked, and the breaths each drew were starting to become heavy. Legolas only wore his pendant, Aragorn wore nothing. Erections rubbed against each other. Aragorn would frequently arch his hips to increase the delicious friction of the two throbbing members, as Legolas ground down against his. All the while, Legolas was scattering kisses over golden skin.

Until, eventually, Aragorn said, "This is not fair. You are doing all the work, and you ought to be saving your energy for later. Let me bring you pleasure."

Legolas was not going to disagree. He swapped places with Aragorn, lying on his back on the soft furs, and Aragorn set about 'bringing him pleasure'. And by the Valar was he good. Nibbling on his sensitive ears, sucking on his neck, kisses on his chest, licking the way down his stomach… Aragorn coaxed out mewls and moans that even Legolas had never heard himself make.

Ever so slowly, Aragorn drove him insane with his ministrations, and he had not even touched his erection. It seemed to take hours, beautiful, torturous hours, and maybe it did, until Aragorn turned his exquisitely talented mouth to Legolas' elfhood. And when he did, fire struck through Legolas, making him arch upwards with a keening cry.

Aragorn obeyed the incoherent instruction, and continued to explore Legolas' elfhood, finding places that brought ecstasy which no one else had ever found. It was perfection, until Aragorn drew his mouth away. At the loss, Legolas could not restrain a mew of disappointment but then Aragorn growled, "I am ready, and I know you are too. I want you to make love to me."

"You have never been loved by another man, have you love?" Legolas asked, his voice smoky. When Aragorn shook his head, Legolas gently said, "It will hurt, your first time, but I will be gentle. I would never want to hurt you."

All Aragorn said was, "I trust you." He gazed into Legolas' eyes with absolute confidence Legolas would care for him. Legolas would not disappoint him, and wanted Aragorn to be able to see him.

So, pulling a vial of oil from his drawer, he instructed, "Put your legs up here, on my shoulders." He positioned them right, so that Aragorn's entrance was turned up towards him. After a moment's thought, he placed pillows under Aragorn to make him the correct height and more comfortable. Then, he slicked his fingers in oil, and asked, "Are you ready?" Aragorn just nodded, and, as carefully and as slowly as he could, Legolas inserted a finger into Aragorn's tight entrance. A whimper escaped Aragorn's lips at the intrusion, but Legolas was above him, caring, sweet Legolas, and he knew that it was alright. Aragorn had clenched around Legolas' finger, and the elf murmured, "My love, relax. It will hurt more if you are tense."

It took a moment of steady breathing, but then Aragorn relaxed and allowed Legolas to enter a second digit. This time he cried out, and Legolas froze. "We should not do this. You are hurting too much."

"No, no, I just was not expecting it," Aragorn said, "Go on."

Legolas did not listen wholly and, though he kept his fingers inside the human, he bent to kiss him instead. Delicately scissoring his fingers to stretch Aragorn, he continued to kiss him, occasionally eliciting a gasp when he nibbled on Aragorn's lip. After a few minutes, Legolas' erection throbbed, reminding him that Aragorn wanted hi to continue and so, still plastering Aragorn with kisses, he removed his fingers.

Seconds later, Aragorn moaned as something much larger and much harder entered him, and then withdrew, gently entered him slightly further in and pulled back. With each careful entrance, Legolas would groan softly, and Aragorn would try not to express the pain, until, many gentle thrusts later, something Aragorn had never felt before flooded through him. And a moment later, the same sensation. Again and again, Legolas trust against that bundle of nerves which set fire to every other nerve in his body.

The cry that escaped him this time was one of pleasure, not pain, time after time. Pressure and heat and pure sensation built inside him, until Aragorn was weeping brokenly, "I love you, Legolas I love you."

In that moment, Legolas felt anew that he and Aragorn were made for each other. He filled Aragorn so totally, and it was clear that the emotion was mutual. He would never protest against Aragorn's love for him again. From that moment on, in his mind, they were together, a couple, partners, lovers.

He bent down to murmur, "I love you too. You are my only love, forever."

And like that, staring into each other's eyes, Legolas and Aragorn came at the same moment. They rode high, cresting the waves of pleasure together, screaming each other's name, until they floated back to earth. Twining into each other's arms, both safe in the unspoken knowledge that they were beloveds, they fell asleep.

**A/N: So there we are. At last you may think.**


	11. Morning After

Disclaimer: Not my characters and my only profit is reviews, when you grace me with them :-)

**Disclaimer: Not my characters and my only profit is reviews, when you grace me with them **

Aragorn woke feeling warmer and safer than he ever had felt before. It was bliss, feeling himself in another's arms, held securely not too tight against the person's chest. It took a moment for remembrance to flood him, and then… Legolas. The name was a breath of delight even in the human's mind. Everything about the moment felt right, and almost heavenly. He could feel Legolas' chest move behind him as the elf breathed in and out, and the soft, warm breath on the back of his head.

Every nerve tingled at the feeling of Legolas' hot skin against his, moulded along Aragorn's back, and the arm over his chest. Only the cold metal of the pendant Legolas always wore marred it. Aragorn noticed with a start that his and Legolas' hands were intertwined, and carefully he unlaced them.

There was a soft snuffing noise as Legolas shifted behind him, distracted by Aragorn's movement. As slowly as he could manage, Aragorn turned around to study the elf. His eyes were closed, framed by light eyelashes, and absolutely still. Ever so slightly, Legolas' nostrils flared as he drew breath in and let it out. Pale skin was marred only by several red marks on the elf's slender neck and Aragorn blushed at the sight of them.

Strands of Legolas' creamy blonde hair feathered across Legolas' face, and his braids had come loose. Not wanting to wake the elf, Aragorn had to resist the urge to brush it away to reveal the alabaster skin underneath. He had to content himself with watching the elf sleep.

Without warning, Legolas' mouth moved. "Are you going to watch me sleep all day?"

Aragorn did not miss a beat, and replied, "If I may." Legolas' lips drew back in a grin, and he cracked his crystal blue eyes open to look at his… lover. They held not a cloud of drowsiness. "You were not asleep at all were you?" accused Aragorn.

"No I was not," smirked Legolas, his eyes scanning Aragorn's face.

Feeling that Legolas was about to ask a question, and not wanting to answer anything the elf might be tempted to ask about, Aragorn beat him to it. "Why do you sleep with your eyes closed?"

Legolas chuckled, "I had a lover once who woke me, screaming because he thought that I was dead. He had never seen another elf sleep, so I started closing my eyes before I went to sleep."

For a moment, Aragorn did not know what to say first, and so he spoke quickly to compromise. "I like it, I do not like it when… I wake up next to someone with glassy, open eyes." He barely drew a breath before asking, "How many other lovers have you had? And how long was the longest relationship?"

Sighing, Legolas blushed and told him, "Seven and three months."

"You had that answer ready," Aragorn said calculatingly.

"I was expecting the question from you. You had the jealous expression that has graced my face too many times in the past nine months. And you can not complain at me for experimenting with people, because I have lived a life 150 times longer than yours, and your one lover lasted three times longer than mine."

Calmly, Aragorn told him, "I was not going to. I just want to know one more thing."

He was avoiding Legolas' eyes, so the elf hooked a finger under his chin to force him to look. "You should not be afraid to voice what is on your mind. We – if you still want us to be – are lovers now. I want us to stay like that, for us to support each other throughout life with our love and devotion that I know will grow. Until the end." At Aragorn's flighty expression, he continued, "But we will take each day as it comes to us, for now. So you can say anything to me."

Aragorn's voice was almost childlike as he asked, "Did you love any of them?"

Legolas' answer was a kiss, and a whisper of, "No."

000

As they walked to breakfast, their hands kept brushing together, and small smiles turned up the corners of their mouths. Erestor and Glorfindel looked up at them when they entered the hall, and with just one glance, their faces split into grins. But Aragorn did not look at them. His gaze was drawn to Arwen at the High Table, eating with her father.

Swallowing deeply, Legolas sat down opposite Erestor and Glorfindel, forcing himself to look at them rather than his love. Until Aragorn's hand curled onto his shoulder, and there was a murmur in his ear. "I am not going anywhere."

As Aragorn took a seat next to him, Legolas sagged in relief. He had been nervous about the human seeing Arwen, particularly so soon… A gentle hand was placed on his knee, circling warmly, and Legolas put his hand over Aragorn's, keeping it there, and securing him there. Legolas could not bear for Aragorn to be taken in by that woman again.

"So you two finally got together then," smirked Erestor, glancing from Legolas to Aragorn.

Before either of them could reply, Glorfindel added, "Very together judging from the wince on Aragorn's face when he sat down. I have seen them before on Erestor's fine features."

The Advisor nudged him in the ribs, but Legolas did not pay attention. He turned to Aragorn and demanded, "Are you in pain? Why did you not say? I did not mean to hurt you."

"Which was exactly why I did not tell you. You did not mean to hurt me, and you were so careful with me, even I, the unobservant human, could see that. No one has ever treated me so tenderly," Aragorn told him, almost urgently.

"We did not want to know about that, thank you," muttered Erestor, his nose slightly wrinkled.

"Speak for yourself," whispered Glorfindel, earning himself another poke in the side from his lover.

Suddenly, Aragorn put down the toast he had been crunching on, and announced, "I can feel her gaze on me. I can not just stand here and walk out of her life. Particularly with Ada being here. I have to finish it."

Legolas merely raised Aragorn's hand to his lips, generously careful to keep facing away from Arwen. "I know. I was just waiting for you to make up your mind. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I want to do this by myself," Aragorn said, and he felt Legolas momentarily stiffen before he sighed wearily.

"Just… please come back to me. I will wait for you in my room."

"I told you, I am not going anywhere," Aragorn repeated.

Aragorn stood, and Legolas had to watch him walk over to Arwen, speak to her momentarily, and then lead him out of the room.

"Go," Erestor softly told him. "Go to your room and wait for him. You do not know how long he will be."

"Thank you," mumbled Legolas, putting down his cutlery and almost sprinting out of the room.

000

Arwen walked in front of him, somehow managing to walk in front of him, leading him instead of the other way round. But it had always been like that' she came first, and he followed like a lapdog. Her back was rigid, almost as if she knew what was coming.

It was a long walk to Aragorn's bedroom, with Aragorn's heart beating twice its normal rate.

But he had to tell her, it was not far on Legolas if he did not leave Arwen. "We need to talk. I am leaving you."

000

Legolas had only been sitting on his bed, tapping his feet, for four minutes when Aragorn stumbled into the room. The elf leapt up to his feet and a second later, Aragorn was buried deeply in his arms. Petting Aragorn's hair, combing his fingers through it, Legolas sat and lifted the human onto his lap. "Tell me what happened," he murmured. Aragorn did not say anything so Legolas studied his face carefully. There were two angry, parallel, scratches across his cheek, and Legolas wiped a drop of scarlet blood away before asking, "How did this happen?"

"She… hit me, she went into a fury… when I told her that I was leaving her." Suddenly, Aragorn began to gush, as if barriers had broken down. "She said that I could not leave her, that she was supposed to be my Queen, and that she had already told Ada about us, that it meant we had to stay together. She said she was never going to stop chasing after me, that she would never let me go. She said she deserved to be my Queen, and knew that I still loved her."

Tears were streaming down his face, and Legolas brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. "She does not deserve your tears. You ought not to cry over her."

Choking slightly through his tears, his body shaking with the sobs tearing from his throat, Aragorn cried, "I am not shedding tears over her, I am crying for you and for me. She tricked me with her spellbinding eyes, and kept us away from each other for nine months. And you do not entirely trust me to stay with you, I can tell, not yet. But I love you Legolas, I do, and I am crying for that meleth."

"Do not cry over that, it is supposed to be a good thing," murmured Legolas, touched deeply by Aragorn's words. He held the human tightly, tucking his head under his chin. "Do not cry my sweet one."

"I know one thing, just one thing… no, two things right now. Just two simple things," Aragorn told him, wiping his tears away on Legolas' helpfully positioned tunic.

"Are you going to tell me what these two things are?" Legolas asked into Aragorn's hair.

"That I want you to hold me forever, and that I love you so much it hurts right now," Aragorn whispered with a grin.

Joy spread through Legolas, washing peace over him, so Legolas replied, "Those are things that are not going to change, my love, though maybe the ache will lessen in time. I do not know, but I know how it hurts as well. Right here." He placed a hand on Aragorn's chest, where he could feel the thump of the human's heart, reassuringly steady and strong.

Aragorn smiled, "It is a good hurt. One that will remind me at all times that I do not deserve you."

"You deserve me, I do not think I deserve you, however much I worked for you," Legolas told him. "Things are going to be difficult, like you said before, and I want to be able to help you through that, with all the love I have for you. Forever."

"Forever?" asked Aragorn, relishing the word as it left his lips.

"I have a forever to devote to you," Legolas pointed out simply. He fell backwards, pulling Aragorn with him so that they could curl up properly on the bed. Aragorn nestled into the hold, his head on the elf's chest, buried into his side, and linked a leg through his.

"I do not," mumbled Aragorn, feeling ridiculously tired all of a sudden. He seemed to have spent a lot of energy, in both the night before and in the argument with Arwen. Or maybe it was the calming effect that Legolas' hold seemed to have on him.

"And I do not know what the future holds, but there is no way that I am going to leave you," Legolas whispered. He could hear Aragorn's breath start to slow, as the human began to fall asleep.

In a mutter, Aragorn said, "I do not know how I could have fallen for her eyes. Your are much brighter and… bluer and… nicer… .and better."

"You are rambling Aragorn, go to sleep."

**A/N: My dears, we are nearing the end. Of the beginning…. Meh. Honestly, I thought you guys would have more comments on the final getting together, but I appreciate the three reviews I did get very much. Just one chapter left, with the name 'The Epilogue.'**


	12. Epilogue

A/N: For the last time, it is not mine

**A/N: For the last time, it is not mine! The very last time, because this is the Epilogue.**

It was dark, but Legolas was not tired. The moon was full above them, and it was so peaceful out in the middle of nowhere, with no one to ever interrupt them, no one to ever pull them apart. He had thrown his robe over Aragorn to keep him warm, but the human had kicked it down so that it only just covered his waist. Carefully, Legolas traced a finger down the curve of his lover's back, up to his shoulders where Aragorn's head was pillowed on his bag.

The soft curls were splayed out on the leather sack, and Legolas could not resist playing with them, just a little bit. Not much more than two months had it been, and passion soared at so many moments. But Aragorn insisted that they keep it secret, and Legolas was quick to concede. This was theirs, it did not matter if Erestor and Glorfindel knew, they would never tell or treat them differently, but it was a secret that would keep Aragorn and Legolas warm every night, as if they were not kept warm enough by each other.

"What is it melda nin?" asked Aragorn, opening his eyes. "Why can you not sleep? You ought to."

"I was just thinking," Legolas told him softly. He swooped around to talk to him. "You do not have to get up, go back to sleep."

Aragorn gave a soft moan, and he stretched out on the cold grass. "I am awake now. How long until dawn?"

Glancing up at the sky, though he did not need to, he already knew, Legolas replied, "Three hours. Do you know what day it is today?"

"I do," smirked Aragorn. "But I do not expect any gifts, I am quite happy with just you."

"And yet I have a gift for you," Legolas announced.

The human started upwards. "Really, you do? Because I was rather hoping that you would, honestly."

Rolling his eyes, Legolas told him, "I do know these things Aragorn. I am not as much of an utter fool as you think me to be."

"I do not think of you as a fool," Aragorn exclaimed, reaching out towards his lover. "Surely you know that."

"I do, but it is fun to tease you meleth nin." Legolas gave a feral grin, and Aragorn hit him playfully in the arm. "Now close your eyes."

Cautiously obeying, Aragorn asked, "Why?"

"You will see," came Legolas' voice. Impatiently, Aragorn waited, hating that he could not see anything. He had a lover who was the most beautiful elf in all of creation and yet he was been begrudged the sight. If only for a few moments, it was still something he hated.

Cold metal chain slipped over Aragorn's head and rested on his chest. Legolas' long hands guided Aragorn's hair out of the metal so the curls rested over the top of it. "There we go." Legolas' lips met his, for just a moment, and he said, "You can open your eyes now Aragorn.

Aragorn glanced down, and found the chain and pendant that Legolas always wore around his own neck. He blinked up at Legolas in confusion, and realised how odd it was to look at Legolas without the silver on his neck and chest. Many a night he had spent just playing with the pendant, wishing that he could be attached to Legolas forever as it was. "You can not give me this. This is yours; your mother gave it to you. It has always been yours."

Calmly, Legolas put his hands over Aragorn's, whose hands were trying to take the chain off. "Do not do that, Aragorn. I want it to be yours. My mother gave it to me because she loved me, as a symbol of her love for me. This is a symbol of my love for you."

With a sigh, Aragorn put his hands back down, and told him, "But… it is so beautiful. It suits you so much more because you are so beautiful. I can not live up to that." Yet he gazed down at it, transfixed by the way the mithril shone in the moonlight. Looking up at Legolas', seeing his light hair glowing, crowned by the moon, Aragorn knew the truth of his own words.

"You are the most beautiful thing in this clearing," whispered Legolas, "And it belongs to you now, melda nin, it belongs to you." He caressed the human's face tenderly, "And it becomes you far more than it ever suited me. And if it help you at all, all that I own belongs to you as well. So this is… the first of many things."

"And yet the most precious, after you," Aragorn said, with a pleased smile. Legolas beckoned him close and the human sat between the V of the elf's legs, feeling more than comfortable as Legolas' arms held him tight. With the elf pressing kisses over him again, he knew that everything was perfect. He had the most perfect lover, no one could ever ask for more.

Though he did not know how they would continue, he knew that their love would, for a long time. A very long time. He did not know how he would die, or when, but he did know that Legolas' love would not, ever. The Kingdom of Gondor could wait for him, it could find another descendant, pick anyone from the Dúnedain, or it could put up with him and his male lover and the lack of descendants that would come with him. Yes he would fight for it, that was his duty, but he would be fighting for Legolas first.

Legolas would always come first. Because Legolas loved him had saved him.

**A/N: This is it, we are done. No more. And if you want to know what happens you can read Hidden Child and then you can read Their Legacy. Review? **


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